'Disappointed' Falcons cut Prince Shembo after animal cruelty charges

shembo-prince-052915-usnews-getty-ftr

Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo was arrested on felony charges of animal cruelty after he allegedly kicked and killed his girlfriend's dog, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Atlanta waived Shembo soon after news of the charges broke Friday. The team followed up with a statement that read: “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."

MORE: Ex-NFL player accused of starving dog | Terrence Cody animal cruelty charges 

Denicia Williams, Shembo's ex-girlfriend, called police April 19 after returning to Shembo's home to pick up her Yorkie named Dior from a four-day stay. She found Dior injured and unresponsive. Dior later died at Duluth Animal Hospital.

Police said the dog had a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, extensive bruising and hemorrhage in the muscles in her 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.

Shembo's attorney, Jerry Froelich, claims the linebacker kicked the dog after it bit him but didn't intend to hurt the dog.

“He didn’t mean to kill the dog,” Froelich said outside the Gwinnett County jail.

Shembo, 23, was selected by Atlanta in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Notre Dame product appeared in all 16 games last season and started three.

Shembo police report

Author(s)