Cohasset man charged after allegedly shooting family dog while hunting coyotes

A Cohasset man faces multiple charges after he fatally shot his family dog ​​while trying to hunt coyotes, police said.

The incident occurred on Aug. 16, 2025, at a home on Hillside Drive, according to a statement from the Cohasset Police Department.

After investigating, authorities determined that Christopher Lucas, 59, was trying to hunt coyotes from the second-floor window of a room above his garage, according to a police statement.

Police said Lucas discharged a firearm out the window, striking and killing a 14-year-old pet dog named Liz. Lucas’s wife’s dog was in the driveway when he was shot in the head.

Police said the incident was captured by the home’s security camera system, which showed a family member crying over the dying animal after the shots were fired.

Investigators also determined that Lucas did not have a valid Massachusetts hunting license and that the hunting activity occurred out of state. Legal hunting seasonaccording to the police.

After investigation, Lucas was charged with cruelty to animals, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence, hunting without a license, and hunting out of season, according to a police statement.

Lucas was arrested Monday and is being held at the Cohasset Police Department on $1,000 cash bail, police said. His firearms license was suspended, and officers confiscated several firearms from the home.

Lucas was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning in Quincy District Court, according to court records.

Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley thanked Massachusetts Environmental Police for their assistance in the investigation.

“This was a very disturbing incident that included the unlawful discharge of a firearm in a residential neighborhood and the tragic killing of a family pet,” Quigley said. “Our investigators conducted a thorough and professional investigation to ensure the facts were carefully documented and appropriate charges were pursued.”