Man charged with killing one cat, injuring another in Bucks County, Pa.
FALLS TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- A man has been identified and charged after authorities say he shot two cats, killing one of them and leaving another without an eye last month.
Shawaun Lakins, 45, of Fairless Hills, is charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty for the Nov. 15 shooting, the Bucks County SPCA said in a news release. The cats, named Jackie and Tootsie, were shot near the Aspen Falls Apartments in Falls Township.
News of the shooting and a $2,500 reward for an arrest spread across social media and news sites, leading to a crucial tip.
"BCSPCA investigators received video footage showing a man in a trench coat who appeared to conceal something and then the sound of possible gunshots before a black and a white cat are seen running in the parking area," the agency said in a statement on social media Wednesday night.
Tootsie, a white cat, was killed in the shooting and scans showed she had a pellet lodged near her spine, BCSPCA said. Jackie, a black cat, needed emergency surgery. One of her eyes was removed and part of a projectile remains lodged near her brain.
Linda Reider, the BCSPCA's executive director, thanked residents who shared social media posts and news stories soliciting tips on the case. Someone heard about the story this way and gave a tip to the agency's Humane Law Enforcement team, Reider said in a statement.
"This case should send a message to anyone who considers shooting or otherwise harming animals in Bucks County," Reider said.
Jackie, the injured cat, is recovering well, BCSPCA says.