Pet dog attacked, killed by mountain lion while on walk in Hollywood Hills

LOS ANGELES - One dog is dead after being attacked by a mountain lion while out on a walk in the Hollywood Hills Friday night and the famous P-22 is believed to be the animal responsible. 

It happened around 6:30 p.m. Friday. Security video from a home off Creston and Durand drives shows a dog walker with two small dogs. They go off frame, and a mountain lion comes out of the brush, crouching as it follows them. 

"He literally grabbed one of the dogs, pulled him so hard that he pulled him off the leash, and ran off with the dog in its mouth," said Warren Jason, a Hollywood Hills resident who witnessed the attack.

SUGGESTED: Mountain lion P-22 caught on camera outside Hollywood Hills home

The other dog and the human were not harmed. The dog that was killed was a Chihuahua mix named Piper. Piper's owner told FOX 11 that they rescued them in 2014. They, and everyone else in the neighborhood, are familiar with P-22, the mountain lion that lives in the Hollywood Hills/Griffith Park area.

"He is always on my video feed," said one resident, who added she had never had any issues, but doesn't walk her dog at night because "coyotes are all around, so it's not a good idea."

The community feels horrible about Piper's death, but also is worried that the incident could lead to backlash against the beloved mountain lion. The community requested FOX 11 not use any video from the incident.

"The drought means there are less rabbits and other wildlife in the area, so P-22 is looking for food," said one resident. "This is his home and we have to adapt."

P-22 was first documented by the Griffith Park Connectivity study in 2012. He has never been recorded killing any pets. A Koala from the Griffith Park Zoo was found mauled to death in 2016, and while P-22's collar showed he was in the area, he was never officially blamed for the animal's death.

While the National Park Service told FOX 11 they believe P-22 was responsible for Friday night's attack, they have to look at its tracking collar to confirm. 

Residents said they're confident it was him. They have him on their surveillance videos and recognize the collar, but again said they hope there is no backlash.