Tyrese Gibson surrenders on animal cruelty charge, released from jail on bond
Actor Tyrese Gibson turned himself in Friday morning to the Fulton County Jail, where records show he was briefly booked on an animal cruelty charge.
Gibson, 46, was later released after posting a $20,000 bond, according to records.
On Sept. 18, Gibson’s four dogs allegedly attacked and killed a neighbor’s 5-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel in Buckhead, police said. The dog, Henry, did not survive.
The dog’s owner, Harrison Parker, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was devastated by the death.
Gibson, a Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer and an actor best known for his roles in the “Fast and Furious” and “Transformers” film series, was not home at the time of the attack, his attorney previously said.
Gabe Banks said his client removed his dogs and “is cooperating fully with authorities to address and resolve this matter responsibly.”
“Mr. Tyrese Gibson extends his deepest condolences to the family who lost their beloved dog to this tragic incident that occurred while Mr. Gibson was away from his home. Upon learning of this unfortunate accident, Mr. Gibson immediately made the difficult decision to rehome his dogs to a safe and loving environment,” Banks said in a statement provided to the AJC.
“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,” his lawyer said.
Parker on Friday said he was pleased Gibson surrendered.
“I’m relieved he followed through with his statement and is taking responsibility,” he said. “It’s a good start.”
Capt. Nicole Dwyer with Fulton County Police Animal Services said the agency received several calls about Gibson’s dogs beginning April 20. That’s when a caller reported that three adult cane corsos and nine cane corso puppies were running loose.
Five days later, animal control spoke with Gibson and told him he would need to have a permit through the Department of Agriculture since he had more than 10 dogs, authorities said.
After the attack last month, officers spoke by phone with Gibson and tried to get him to surrender the four dogs that killed Henry to animal control, a police report states. Gibson refused and said he would “figure out” the situation in a few days.
Officers were later told by someone at Gibson’s home that the dogs had been removed, a police report states.
Gibson also “admitted that he believes his dogs killed Henry” and knew it had been “an ongoing issue over the past few months with his dogs getting out,” according to the report.
— Staff writer David Aaro contributed to this article.
