Falcons Waive Player Accused in Death of Ex-Girlfriend's Dog

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Update:

The Atlanta Falcons said in a statement Friday afternoon that they have waived Prince Shembo in light of charges in Gwinnett County that the linebacker caused the death of his ex-girlfriend’s dog.

The statement said:

“We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo. We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”

Check back for updates

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Police have obtained an arrest warrant for an Atlanta Falcons football player accused of kicking his ex-girlfriend’s dog to death last month.

Gwinnett Police said Friday afternoon that Prince Shembo, 23, is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals stemming from the April 19 incident at an apartment near Buford.

Shembo is an outside linebacker for the NFL team.

Gwinnett Police Cpl. Michele Pihera said in a news release that the Falcons have been informed of the warrant.

According to police, Shembo’s ex-girlfriend, Denicia Williams called police on April 19 to report that Shembo had killed her Yorkie, “Dior,” at Shembo’s residence at the Century at Mill Creek Apartments on Mall of Georgia Boulevard.

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Williams told police that she and the dog had gone to Shembo’s apartment on April 15. “At some point during her stay, she left Shembo and her dog unattended. When she later found Dior, he was unresponsive,” Pihera said.

The dog died later at the Duluth Animal Hospital.

Williams told police she was talking on the phone with Shembo the next day, and during the conversation he said he had kicked the dog.

“At this point, she ended the relationship,” Pihera said.

The body of the dog was taken to the Gwinnett County Animal Shelter to undergo a necropsy on April 21. Tissue samples were then sent to the University of Georgia for further testing.

The results were completed May 28: Dior had significant internal injuries and the cause of death was determined to be by blunt force trauma, Pihera said.

More from Pihera:

“Details of the warrant say that the dog had a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, extensive bruising / hemorrhage in muscles in front leg and shoulders, head trauma, hemorrhage and edema in lungs, hemorrhage between the esophagus and trachea, and hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries.”

(Photos: ”Dior.” Courtesy of Gwinnett PD PIO)