Two Henrico County police officers shot and killed a fox yesterday after it attacked one of the officers as they were investigating a fox attack on a 13-year-old boy.

The fox ran up the officer's pant leg, but the officer managed to shake the fox loose, police said.

Earlier yesterday, a 6-year-old girl and a 34-year-old man were either scratched or bitten by a fox in the same general area of Ridgefield Parkway in western Henrico, police said.

Police said they do not know whether the fox the officers killed is the same fox involved in the earlier attacks. The dead fox will be tested for rabies.

The four people attacked yesterday were treated for exposure to the animal, police said.

The two officers encountered the fox shortly after the 13-year-old boy was attacked at 4:15 p.m. in the 12000 block of Oakhampton Terrace, police said.

Police said when animal-protection officers and police arrived, neighbors showed them where to find the fox that bit the boy.

As the officers approached, the fox ran up one officer's pant legs, police said. Although it was unclear whether the officer was scratched or bitten, he was sent to a local hospital for treatment, police said.

The first attack occurred yesterday shortly before noon when a fox bit a 6-year-old girl on the heel in the 1900 block of Thornbury Court, police said.

The second attack occurred shortly before 1 p.m., when a fox attacked a 34-year-old man jogging on Church Road at Blandfield Street, police said. The animal jumped on the jogger's lower leg and either scratched or bit him, police said.

Police said last night that animal-protection officers were continuing to set traps in the area for foxes.