Woman, 19, mauled to death ‘by XL Bully’ Prince in horror dog attack at Bristol flat is pictured as family speak out

A TEENAGER who was mauled to death by a dog at a flat in Bristol has been named by police.

Morgan Dorsett, 19, from Shropshire, was attacked by the XL Bully-type dog, believed to have been called Prince, and died at the scene yesterday evening.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, were arrested following the horror but have since been released on bail.

A call was made at 7.19pm after Morgan was brutally attacked in a flat on Cobhorn Drive, south Bristol.

Despite efforts to save her, Morgan tragically died at the scene due to her injuries.

Her family have now spoken out to thank the public for their support but asked for privacy.

While the formal identification process is yet to be completed, officers were told her identity at the scene.

Family member Caelia Dorsett paid tribute to her on Facebook writing: “My sweet angel.

“There are no words that describe this feeling. I am so grateful for all the memories we made together and having you as my ‘built in bestie’.

“You truly were an amazing person inside and out. Taking some time to spend with family and friends.

“I appreciate all the support and messages and I will get back to everyone shortly.”

Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement: “The family of a woman who tragically died after she was attacked by a dog in south Bristol have thanked the public for their support.

“While the formal identification process is yet to be completed, officers were told at the scene that the victim is 19-year-old Morgan Dorsett from Shropshire.

“Morgan’s family continue to be updated on the investigation and are being supported by a specially trained officer.

“They have thanked members of the public for their support and those who have left flowers.

“They have asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”

Last night a local claimed she too had almost been attacked by the killer dog just three weeks ago in the street.

The woman, in her mid-20s and who asked not to be identified, said: “I was coming back home with some shopping late afternoon and I saw the dog and its owner walking towards me.

“The closer I got to them, the more the dog was pulling at its lead and when I was a few metres away it was barking and growling like mad and was clearly trying to get at me.

“The owner was pulling it back with all his strength and only just managed to keep it, kind of, under control.

“I don’t know whether the dog was going for me or whatever food was in my shopping bags, but it was absolutely terrifying.

“I was so upset about it that I considered calling the police and spoke to my neighbour about it.

“She told me she had had a run-in with it as well, in similar circumstances a couple of weeks earlier.

“In the end I decided against contacting the police because I didn’t want any trouble.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking for the woman who died and her family. Thank God this dangerous animal has now been destroyed.

“The breed should be banned. We seem to be reading about these kind of attacks every day now. Something needs to be done.”

Another horrified neighbour witnessed the dog owner leaving her flat covered in blood who then sat in the street and started crying for “hours”.

She said: “It was almost like she was trying to scream, cry and ask for help all at the same time.”

“She sat on the steps and a few hours were going by and they didn’t arrest her or anything. She didn’t go back in at all.

“She somehow landed up down [the road] and I could hear her all hours just crying.

“She had blood on her. I don’t know if she was injured, trying to stop the dog from doing the attack.

“She had it on her front. It was more than a little bit [of blood].”

Neighbours Doreen Tovey, 82, and Barry Tovey, 62, reported seeing the woman leave.

Mrs Tovey said: “I saw a young girl, very hysterical, shouting: ‘They killed my dog’.

“You could hear her screaming. All I heard was the commotion and six or seven police cars came up.”

Doreen Tovey said the incident was “very frightening”.

“I came out my house to see what all the commotion was. [There were] loads of police cars, riot van, ambulance across the road from me.”

An alarmed neighbour heard the commotion and rushed out to help as the dog owner left the flat.

She said: “The moment she walked out the door I could hear her, and I ran over to her and said, ‘Are you okay?’

“She couldn’t talk or say a word. It was like she wasn’t there because of the shock.”

“I genuinely feel that this was one of those freak accidents and wasn’t her fault – that’s how I feel.”

The Cobhorn Drive resident said the teenager who died was a “lovely girl” and “can’t believe” this had happened on their street.

“I am shocked. I just can’t believe it’s happened and she hasn’t been there that long,” they added.

“I am still trying to process this. I was up all night awake trying to process this. She seemed a lovely girl.”

Two individuals were arrested on suspicion of being “in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death” and “possession of a prohibited breed of dog,” according to the police.

Cops said the hound was tranquillised and taken to a vet for examination – they fear the vicious dog is an XL Bully but this is yet to be confirmed.

Another neighbour said the dog – what is thought to be a male XL Bully about hip height – had been put to sleep.

The neighbour added: “When they took the dog out it wasn’t dead. They took the dog to the vets.

“I heard them saying it. To me, it was definitely an XL and she said it was.”

Witnesses have described seeing a huge emergency response as police and paramedics attended the scene.

Resident Gary Steadman said he heard “screaming” and that the incident was heartbreaking.

He also described the dog as “big, butch and brown and white” in colour.

DANGEROUS DOGS

The UK government website states it’s a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless you have a valid Certificate of Exemption.

This ban came in on 1 February 2024 and was due to a significant rise in reported attacks with multiple fatalities over the past few years.

On Tuesday, this week, two XL Bully dogs were shot 19 times as cops intervened an attack on a pensioner.

The victim was in a critical but stable condition in hospital and a 29-year-old woman was arrested.

It’s also an offence to sell an XL Bully dog, abandon one, give the dog away, breed XL Bully’s or take the dog out in public without a lead or a muzzle.

Those who own an XL Bully without an exemption can face a criminal record and their pet may be taken and destroyed.

NHS consultant Richard Baker told the BBC the breed is particularly dangerous due to its jaw strength.

XL Bullys can cause more damage than other dogs including broken bones, torn skin and nerve damage.

He said: “It’s a crushing or a tearing injury. Once they grip, they don’t let go.”