Fast & Furious star Tyrese Gibson has rehomed his four Cane Corso mastiffs following a tragic incident in which one or more of his dogs allegedly attacked and killed a neighbor’s dog in his upscale Buckhead, Georgia, neighborhood, according to his lawyer.
On Sept. 18, Gibson’s neighbor in Buckhead, an affluent section of Atlanta, called 911 after one or more of the star’s dogs allegedly killed the neighbor’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel when it was let outside, police said, according to WSB-TV 2, 11Alive.com, and Fox5 Atlanta.
Following the attack, the R&B singer and actor, who portrays Roman Pearce in the popular Fast & Furious franchise, reportedly told authorities he would surrender his dogs to Animal Services, 11Alive reports. However, when officials visited his home on Sept. 22, Gibson asked for an additional three to four days to decide, police said, according to CBS Atlanta.
Authorities then obtained a search warrant for Gibson’s property and executed it the same evening, CBS Atlanta reported. They also secured an arrest warrant for animal cruelty charges. When officers arrived at Gibson’s mansion, he and the dogs were reportedly not present, 11Alive reports.
On Tuesday, Sept. 30, Gibson’s attorney Gabe Banks released a statement on his client’s behalf:
“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.”
Regarding the misdemeanor warrant, Banks said Gibson “is cooperating fully with authorities to address and resolve this matter responsibly.” He also requested privacy and understanding while the case proceeds through the proper legal channels and emphasized Gibson’s commitment to community safety and animal welfare.
Captain Nicole Dwyer of Fulton County Police Animal Services did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
When reached for comment earlier Tuesday, Gibson directed PEOPLE to a video he posted on Instagram that morning, showing him playing with his dogs. In the video, he said he was in Los Angeles with family and expressed that he was “heartbroken” over the other dog’s death.
Gibson also stated that his dogs had never been violent before, although in a separate video from March, he acknowledged that his new Cane Corso puppies were “aggressive.”
The dogs were allegedly running loose in the neighborhood, 11Alive reports.
On the night of Sept. 18, Harrison Parker, who lives across the street from Gibson, said he let his dog out in his yard and found him dead in the driveway shortly after, WSB-TV 2 reports. Parker’s 5-year-old dog, Henry, reportedly suffered internal bleeding and puncture wounds, according to court documents cited by WSB-TV 2.
“Not hearing him around, it’s just awful. He was one of the sweetest dogs and to have him get murdered is, it’s indescribable,” Parker said. Doorbell camera footage reportedly captured Gibson’s dogs just after the attack, WSB-TV 2 reports.
“It is negligence on his part as the homeowner and animal owner, just letting them roam free,” Dwyer told Fox5. “And now they have killed an innocent animal.”
