Chiefs DT Isaiah Buggs allegedly accused of animal cruelty, shoved Tuscaloosa police chief
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs was charged with animal cruelty in a civil motion filed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, according to Patch.
The motion states that an investigator obtained two arrest warrants for cruelty to dogs or cats in the second degree. A subsequent report from Patch revealed that Buggs was accused of shoving the Tuscaloosa police chief in April.
The circumstances surrounding the dogs’ case, as described in the petition, are grim. Tuscaloosa Police received reports March 28 regarding two dogs left on the back porch of a home. When police and animal control arrived, they found a gray and white pit bull on a screened back porch and a black Rottweiler mix locked in a wire cage in direct sunlight. Neither dog had access to food or water.
The two dogs were reportedly seized and found “malnourished, emaciated, neglected,” with the property appearing abandoned. A neighbor told authorities the dogs had been on the porch for 10 days.
Investigators later determined the home had been rented by Buggs, who had received a termination notice in April due to rent arrears of $3,116.90. Witnesses told investigators he left the house around March 19.
Buggs made $5.3 million during his NFL career, according to Spotrac.
Unfortunately, the pit bull reportedly had to be euthanized in late April due to increased aggression and failed heartworm treatment. The Rottweiler mix tested positive for Parvo, a virus often fatal to dogs, and weighed just 52 points despite being 3 years old.
The civil petitioner seeks to officially confiscate custody of the dogs from the player and have him taxed for their care, treatment, maintenance and disposition.
Isaiah Buggs allegedly shoved Tuscaloosa police chief
This isn’t the end of Buggs’ legal troubles, as Patch reports that he faces charges of threats, assault and city code violations at his Kings Hookah Lounge business. On April 14, police responded to a crowded parking lot and found 283 people inside the lounge, which has a maximum fire capacity of 83 people.
After the building was allegedly cleared and Buggs was cited, he allegedly became furious with the officers, saying “those boys better not touch me” and “I’m not going in there with handcuffs.” Buggs reportedly left the company despite being told he was not free to leave, at which point Tuscaloosa Police Chief Bren Blankley tried to get him to return.
Blankley allegedly placed a hand on Buggs’ shoulder, at which point the athlete pushed him towards several officers:
“A fight ensued and it took several officers to handcuff Buggs due to his lack of cooperation,” the arrest report states. “Neither Buggs nor any officers were injured during the incident.”
Buggs was reportedly arrested and released on $1,600 bail.
There was also a reported incident in which Buggs and his brother Detarion allegedly became angry at a woman for rolling their eyes at one of them and confronted her with handguns. Detarion is also accused of throwing a cup at the woman’s car and hitting her in the face with a ricochet.
Isaiah Buggs’ agent responds to litany of accusations
Buggs’ agent, Trey Robinson, released a statement saying the charges against him were part of an “ongoing subversive campaign” to force him to close the hookah lounge. He claimed the dogs on the porch did not belong to Buggs and that no public record had been made of the two previous arrests, part of an effort to get him to give up his business license.
Robinson said he would shed light on the city and police department’s motivations for targeting Buggs’ business as part of his defense.
The full statement:
“Isaiah vehemently denies the allegations and charges made against him today. Mr. Buggs does not condone the mistreatment of any animal. The dogs in question did not belong to him and he was unaware that they were found on the property in question.
“Furthermore, we believe that the decision by the City of Tuscaloosa to file charges today is part of a concerted effort by the City of Tuscaloosa and its Police Department to sully the name and reputation of Mr. Buggs as part of an ongoing subversive campaign to force the closure of his local business Kings Hookah Lounge.
“These efforts are not new as Mr. Buggs has been arrested at his business on misdemeanor charges twice in the past two months, but on each occasion no public report has been made public of these arrests. Instead , the city used the threat of prosecution and publicizing the allegations filed today and these arrests as leverage against Mr. Buggs by offering to drop them and not pursue them in exchange for his voluntarily surrendering his business license, Mr. Buggs declined the City’s offer because he has serious concerns about the City and the police department’s motivation for deciding to target his business, which he plans to highlight as part of his defense of the allegations. and the accusations against him, as well as his reputation and his business.
The Chiefs’ strange offseason continues
Buggs joined the Chiefs practice squad last January and remained with the team on a reserve/future contract in February. He entered the NFL after winning a national championship with Alabama as a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers and later spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Detroit Lions.
Buggs may be a small player for the Chiefs in the grand scheme of things, but the allegations here continue what has been a bizarre and distracting offseason for the defending champions.
First, there were wide receiver Rashee Rice’s charges in Dallas for running into a crash on the highway, followed by an assault allegation that has since disappeared. Later, kicker Harrison Butker’s opening speech became a political flashpoint (obviously, not a crime, but it got loud enough to reach the Chiefs’ practice).
Then there was a threat to leave Missouri due to the failure of a sales tax referendum and the arrest of two players for marijuana possession.
At this rate, Kansas City’s 2024-25 season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5 can’t come soon enough.
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