LUNENBURG, MASS. (WHDH) - A Lunenburg police officer was honored Monday for saving a man’s life during a dog attack in August.
Wayne Cocteau, 75, was being bitten throughout his body by a large dog at the town’s animal control facility when police said Officer Gage Russell shot the dog, saving Cocteau’s life. Cocteau was flown to a Worcester hospital for injuries on his face and neck, and was eventually released. He has since been recovering at home.
“This officer arrived at a chaotic scene, but remained calm, assessed the situation quickly and took immediate action,” Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said. “Officer Russell saw the animal latched onto Wayne Comeau’s arm and knew the grave situation the victim was in.”
The officer was awarded the DA’s Team Excellence and Merit Award for going above and beyond the call of duty, according to the police department.
“My biggest thing is to see Wayne doing better each day, and knowing how he’s doing,” Russell said.
“It was a day but we got through it and now we’re here today and everybody’s doing better,” he said. “We’re going in the right direction.”
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)