SAN ANTONIO -- A 77-year-old man is facing felony animal cruelty charges after allegedly shooting a cat in the neck at a local apartment complex.

The incident occurred the morning of November 12 at the Spanish Oaks Apartments in the 3000 block of Cripple Creek.

Witnesses said Donald Martin was standing on a second floor balcony when he began shooting at a group of cats cared for by the apartments’ residents. A 1-year-old gray tabby female was hit. Good Samaritans rushed to the animal’s aid, but she died shortly afterwards.

Martin was arrested Tuesday morning by detectives from the SAPD North Patrol Property Crimes Unit who worked with Animal Care Services’ Animal Cruelty Investigators on the case.

Animal cruelty is a state jail felony punishable by two years in jail and up to a $10,000 fine.