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Written by: A. Smith
Published February 12, 2026 @ 10:45 AM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A man accused of decapitating a dog on the porch of a northwest Atlanta home is in the Fulton County Jail following a three-hour standoff with police.
Jalen Wade, 31, was arrested Wednesday after a six-hour police response that culminated in a SWAT team standoff at a home on Illinois Avenue in the Grove Park neighborhood.
Officers responded to the residence around 2:30 p.m. after neighbors reported witnessing a disturbing scene. When Atlanta police and animal control arrived, they found a dead dog and a machete nearby, according to authorities.
Police said the person inside the home refused to open the door. After obtaining a warrant and still getting no response, officers called in a SWAT team. Following hours of negotiations, Wade was taken into custody without injury.
Wade’s landlord told reporters he spoke with the suspect multiple times by phone during the standoff and was told Wade was somewhere else. Police later found him inside the home.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the landlord said he came to inspect the property after the arrest and described unusual markings inside.
“I saw several voodoo signs on the wall … paint all on the wall as if someone was doing some type of voodoo,” the landlord said.
He added that Wade had not paid rent for about a year and that a judge had signed off on an eviction the day before the incident, ordering marshals to remove him from the home.
Wade was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, felony obstruction, and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was booked into the Fulton County Jail and is expected to make his first court appearance soon.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the dog belonged to Wade or if it was a neighbor’s pet or a stray. Police have not released information regarding a possible motive for the attack or whether Wade has a history of mental health concerns or prior animal cruelty complaints.