INDIANAPOLIS -- A Marion County sheriff's deputy was cited on Thursday after police said his pit bulls attacked a 23-year-old man on Indianapolis' north side.

The incident happened in the 5900 block of Grandview Drive before 8 a.m., 6News' Julie Pursley reported.

Indianapolis police said James Bates was taking out the trash when his next-door neighbor's pit bulls attacked and bit him multiple times.

Officers were told that the pit bulls somehow escaped from a fenced-in yard of Shawn Middleton. They ripped the shoes and jacket off Bates, biting him in the face and feet.

"The way that they had attacked me and dragged me, I thought I was just going to be torn apart," Bates said.

His cousin -- Jada Carson, 5 -- saw the attack when she looked out a window and yelled for Bates' mother, Queen, who called 911 and attempted to scare the dogs away by throwing things at them.

Bates' mother stopped trying to distract the dogs when they threatened to enter her house.

"I was just terrified. I threw something at him. I thought they would come to me, but they came and tried to get in the door," she said. "I closed the door, and they went back to attacking him."

When Officer Marlon Minor arrived, he tried to distract the dogs, but they charged him, forcing him to shoot them, police said.

"It was a very vicious attack. At that time, the officer tried to get the dogs off of him. He was successful for a minute," said Indianapolis police Lt. Jeff Duhamell. "Basically, the dogs turned on the officer, and that's when he discharged his firearm."

One of the dogs was killed and the other was injured and ran back into his yard. Animal Care and Control took custody of that animal and it was later euthanized.

James was taken to Methodist Hospital with puncture wounds and lacerations from bites to his face, ears and feet.

Police said the neighbors had been cordial with each other, but that there had been previous concern about the dogs.

Middleton, a deputy with the Marion County Sheriff's Department, was cited for owner responsibility for an animal attack, no rabies vaccination for one dog and no permanent ID.

Police said there could be criminal charges filed in the case. Middleton refused to talk to 6News on Thursday.