Sophomore wide receiver Ishmael Zamora has yet to be disciplined by the athletic department after an incident that was brought to the police’s attention on July 5.
In the video received by police, Zamora was seen beating his dog repeatedly with a belt and stepping down on him with his foot.
“I’m sorry for my actions,” Zamora said in an interview with the Waco Tribune-Herald. “I’ve owned the dog for 20 months. He’s perfectly healthy, and I love him very much. In the moment, I lost my temper trying to discipline him. I’ve been through training with a dog trainer to help me learn new potty training tips.”
According to Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton, Zamora has received a citation that could cost up to $500 and was charged with a Class C misdemeanor for animal molestation.
The reason for the delayed punishment is unknown, but head coach Jim Grobe said Zamora’s behavior in not acceptable and that a punishment will be put in place.
“I would like to wrap up this issue by the end of the week if possible,” Grobe said. “Ish has been remorseful for his actions and has cooperated with the university actions, and I expect him to continue to do so. I appreciate this is an emotional issue for everybody, and I know the athletic department has received many phone calls and emails on what should be done.”
“I found the best thing you can do is take a deep breath and calm down and take a while to figure out what the best thing to do is. When I make a knee-jerk reaction, it’s typically not the right one,” Grobe said.
