Falcons waive Prince Shembo after felony animal cruelty charge

The Atlanta Falcons waived linebacker Prince Shembo on Friday after he was charged with felony animal cruelty.

Shembo allegedly kicked and killed his ex-girlfriend's dog, according to the police report.

Denica Williams alleged that her dog was found unresponsive and died shortly thereafter at Duluth Animal Hospital after she left the animal in Shembo's care, according to Alexis Stevens of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Shembo allegedly revealed that he killed the dog the following day, and Williams broke up with him, informing police of the alleged incident.

An autopsy was performed, and it was found Williams' dog died of blunt force trauma, per Stevens's report.

Gwinnett Police filed the animal cruelty charges against the 23-year-old.

Shembo's attorney, Jeremy Froelich, told reporters "He didn’t mean to kill the dog," outside a Gwinnett County Jail on Friday. Froelich also said that Shembo owns a dog who he has never hurt and that the former Falcon was "in tears" over the incident.

This isn't Shembo's first run-in with the law. At the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine he admitted that while at Notre Dame he was accused of sexual battery. He was never charged, though, and the victim committed suicide shortly after.