Tyrese Gibson has found himself at the center of an animal cruelty investigation after a neighbor claimed that dogs belonging to the Fast & Furious star attacked and killed his own pet earlier this month.
Per local news reports, the alleged attack occurred on Sept. 18 in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. The neighbor, Harrison Parker, called police after his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was allegedly killed by Gibson’s four Cane Corsos.
An investigation into the alleged attack led authorities to issue an arrest warrant for Gibson after he reportedly left his Buckhead home with the dogs following a visit from Fulton County Animal Services. In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Gibson’s lawyer, Gabe Banks of the Banks Weaver Law Firm, said the actor “extends his deepest condolences to the family who lost their beloved dog,” and added that Gibson had “made the difficult decision to rehome his dogs to a safe and loving environment.”
Banks’ statement continues: “Concerning the misdemeanor warrant, Mr. Gibson is cooperating fully with authorities to address and resolve this matter responsibly. Mr. Gibson asks for privacy and understanding as this matter is handled through the appropriate legal channels, and as he remains committed to the safety of his community and the well-being of all animals.”
According to Parker, he let his dog, Henry, into his front yard at around 10 p.m. the night of the alleged attack. When he came back just a few minutes later, he found Henry dead in the driveway. He took the dog to an animal hospital, where examiners said Henry had suffered broken ribs, puncture wounds, and severe internal bleeding. The vets also said Henry was covered in slobber.
Gibson’s Cane Corsos had reportedly been a problem in the neighborhood for months. Neighbors had reported them roaming around back in April, while two separate calls were placed earlier in September.
The night of the alleged attack, the Cane Corsos were reportedly roaming loose again. Security footage from a nearby house showed the dogs scratching at someone’s door and running through yards before Henry was allegedly attacked. Another neighbor called 911 because the Cane Corsos were standing by her door, preventing her from leaving her house and reaching her car.
After the cops and animal control arrived, they escorted the woman to her car and Gibson’s friend came to collect the dogs. (Banks noted that Gibson was “away form his home” that night.) A warning was issued, but no further action was taken, as police hadn’t learned about Henry yet.
A few days later, on Sept. 22, animal control visited Gibson’s home and asked him to surrender his dogs. Gibson reportedly acknowledged that he was aware that his dogs had been running loose, and admitted that he believed they had killed Henry. Gibson, however, apparently asked officers for a few more days, leading Animal Services to obtain a search warrant and arrest warrant for animal cruelty. When the officers returned later that night, Gibson and his dogs were gone.
Gibson shared a few more details regarding his whereabouts in a statement shared with The Breakfast Club this morning. He insisted he is “not on the run” and is currently in Los Angeles with his family, while his attorneys deal with the matter.
Parker, for his part, expressed his frustration with how Gibson has handled the situation, especially after Gibson posted on Instagram earlier this week that he was taking a mental health break until November. “I mean, he should be taking mental health month in jail,” Parker told Fox 5 in Atlanta. “The arrogance … it speaks volumes about who this person is, and I hope that, if he has any fans or anything, that they really drink in the reality of this guy’s character.”
