ATLANTA — The Atlanta Falcons released Prince Shembo on Friday after the football player was charged with aggravated animal cruelty in the killing of his girlfriend's dog, the team said.
The Yorkie died after Shembo, 23, an outside linebacker drafted by the Falcons in 2014, told the girlfriend he kicked her dog while alone with the pet at his suburban Atlanta apartment on April 15, according to Gwinnett County Police.
"We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this," the Falcons said in a statement on Friday after learning of the charges against Shembo.