Two pit bulls brutally attacked a 62-year-old man Sunday afternoon in South Arlington as his young son watched. Police later shot and killed one of the animals and captured the other.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m. Sunday, the man got out of his truck in the 2000 block of South Oakland Street and, without provocation, the dogs began to attack, police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said.

The dogs latched onto his arms and eventually forced him to the ground. The man's 11-year-old son was still in the truck, screaming to neighbors to call for help, Sternbeck said.

"Essentially, they were tossing him around like a rag doll," Sternbeck said.

Another son, a 17-year-old, was inside the family's home and heard the commotion. He ran outside, distracted the dogs and got them to chase him, Sternbeck said.

The older son made it safely back into the home while his father was able to get back inside his vehicle.

EMS soon arrived, and the dogs went after them as soon as they tried to get out of the ambulance, Sternbeck said.

The dogs eventually left and went behind a nearby townhouse complex. Police arrived and found them, and they once again began acting "extreme aggressively," Sternbeck said.

An officer shot one of the dogs, killing it. The other backed down and was later captured by animal control officers without incident, Sternbeck said.

The man was taken to George Washington University Hospital. He sustained numerous puncture wounds and numerous cuts and abrasions from being dragged along the ground — including to his feet, legs, wrists, arms, shoulders and ears. He has since been treated and released.

The dogs belonged to a neighbor, Sternbeck said.

Police are consulting with the Arlington County Attorney's Office to determine if any charges should be filed against the owner, he said.