A New York man is facing multiple charges for allegedly shooting six horses belonging to his neighbor.

Capt. James Barnes, of the New York State Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, Troop C, said that on April 27 the six horses wandered onto property owned by Lauren McMaster in New Berlin, N.Y. The same evening, two of the horses returned to their owner’s property injured, Barnes said; both horses later died from their injuries. The horses’ owner contacted the New York State the following day, Barnes said. During the subsequent investigation the carcasses of the remaining four horses were discovered on McMaster’s property, Barnes said. Further investigation revealed that McMaster had allegedly used a 12-gauge shotgun to fatally shoot the animals, he relayed. The shooting took place after the horses had repeatedly wandered onto McMaster’s property, Barnes said.

McMaster declined to comment on the incident.

On April 29 McMaster was arrested and charged with six counts of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree, and six counts of Cruelty to Animals, Barnes said