No Apology From Department After 5-Year-Old Boy Bitten By South Pasadena Police K9 Tuesday At National Night Out Event

PASADENA (CBSLA) -  On Tuesday evening in South Pasadena, at a National Night Out event, a nationwide campaign meant to improve community-police relations, a police K9 bit a 5-year-old boy and, so far, the family has yet to receive much of a response from the police department.

"I'd like an apology," said Josh Forbes, whose son, Sebastian, was bitten by the police dog.

According to his father, Sebastian was enamored with the K9 that the South Pasadena Police brought out to show off to the crowd. Sebastian took a few steps forward and then retreated, but all of a sudden, seemingly unprovoked, the dog went for him.

"Then before I could even get a chance to step back in line, the dog lunged at me," Sebastian said.

"Somehow, he locked eyes on Sebastian - he didn't like the look of him or something - and the dog just went straight for him and jumped on his face and was biting him and had him pinned to the ground," his father added.

The K9's handler and Forbes were able to pull the dog off Sebastian fairly quickly and paramedics who were already on the scene for the event tended to him in the ambulance.

"There was blood streaming down his head and it was pretty scary," Forbes said of his son's wounds.

Sebastian was rushed to the hospital. He had a bite mark on his ear and needed stitches near his eye.

"The cut was so close to his eye that they had to give him ketamine to put him under," Forbes said, adding that he's grateful Sebastian didn't lose an eye.

Forbes also said he hasn't received much remorse or explanation from police, other than a call from them Wednesday asking how Sebastian was doing. He said so far there's been no apology nor any admission of guilt.

"I was told hey, you know this was an accident, accidents happen - calm down," Forbes told CBSLA. "I just want to make sure that this is the last kid that dog ever bites."

South Pasadena Police Department has yet to respond to repeated requests for comment.