ST. LOUIS PARK  — A construction worker alerted by a neighborhood boy came to the rescue of an elderly man who was being attacked by a dog in St. Louis Park.

Nine-year-old Marshall Schmitz has been visiting a construction crew working on a highway noise barrier every day this summer. One of the workers, Derrick Johnson, said he could see the urgency in the boy’s face Monday as he flagged him down for help.

Johnson rushed over and grabbed the pit bull by the collar and held him down. Johnson said the pit bull wouldn’t release the man’s small dog even though it was already dead. The man suffered numerous dog bites and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

According to a press release, two police officers arrived to help as Johnson was wrestling with the dog.