Father dies while saving 5-year-old daughter from dog attack, authorities say

An Iowa man who suffered a heart attack after rescuing his 5-year-old daughter from a dog attack has died, according to police.

Police from the Fort Madison Police Department were called to the scene of the attack on Friday morning, as the large dog was attacking a second man, who was lying on his back, in the front yard.

As the officers administered aid to that man, who they have not identified by name, they spotted 33-year-old Robert Joseph Quick and his 5-year-old daughter, who had been bitten in the face.

"The dog was very aggressive and would not release the man," prompting one officer to fire a gun to stop the attack, according to a statement from police.

"Quick had defended his daughter and undoubtedly saved her life by his actions," according to the statement.

Quick later died at a local hospital, despite "tremendous efforts" by doctors and medics on the scene, police said. His exact cause of death is under investigation, but a GoFundMe campaign raising money for his funeral expenses says that he suffered a heart attack at the scene.

The dog did not belong to any of the victims but was being kept at the house for a family member, according to police. It is unclear if the dog had been euthanzied.