A California dog was killed by a mountain lion while walking in Los Angeles

A dog was attacked and killed by a mountain lion while out for a walk in Los Angeles on Friday night, with the famous P-22 believed to be responsible.

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. Friday night in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood and was captured on security video of a home. A dog walker was seen walking two small dogs and as they leave the frame a mountain lion comes out of the bush and crouches while following them.

A local resident recalled witnessing the attack.

“He literally grabbed one of the dogs, pulled him off the leash so tight, and ran off with the dog in his mouth,” Warren Jason told FOX 11.

The other dog and the walker were unharmed in the incident.

The dog killed was a Chihuahua mix named Piper, who was rescued by his owner in 2014. The owner and everyone else in the neighborhood knows P-22 the mountain lion who lives in the Hollywood Hills/Griffith Park area.

“He’s always in my video feed,” said one resident. She noted that she’s never had any issues with the animal, but didn’t walk her dog at night because “there are coyotes everywhere, so it’s not a good idea.”

Community members said they feel terrible about Piper’s death, but are also concerned the attack could spark a backlash against the beloved mountain lion, whom they do not support.

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

P-22, first documented by the Griffith Park Connectivity study a decade ago, has never been confirmed to have killed any pets. A koala from Griffith Park Zoo was found dead in 2016, but P-22 was never blamed for that death, although his collar showed he was in the area.

The National Park Service told FOX 11 they believe P-22 killed Piper, but they need to confirm through a tracking collar that it did.

Residents also said they are confident P-22 carried out Friday’s attack because they have it on their surveillance footage and recognize the collar.