Pleasanton man fatally shot father through bedroom door after urinating on groceries, police say

Pleasanton man arrested in fatal shooting, possible explosives found in home

A 28-year-old man, Lucas Chan, was arrested after a deadly shooting in a quiet Pleasanton neighborhood, where police also discovered possible explosive devices inside the home.

PLEASANTON, Calif. - A Pleasanton man told investigators he deliberately fired his gun through his bedroom door with the intent to kill whoever was on the other side, fatally striking his father, according to police and court documents.

Last Friday, police responded at around 9:39 p.m. to a home on Helpert Court after a woman reported that her son, 28-year-old Lucas Chan, had shot her husband, 61-year-old Lance Chan.

Lance Chan was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Suspect had strained family relationships

What they're saying:

His wife told investigators that she had limited contact with her son over the past four years, even though the three lived in the same home. She said they rarely interacted, only crossing paths in passing.

On that day, Lance Chan and his wife had been hanging out with two friends. They all went shopping at Walmart, dropped the bags at the Chan residence, and then left for dinner. Lucas Chan stayed behind.

Suspect urinated on grocery bags

What we know:

When the group returned, they discovered the grocery bags were soaking wet. After cleaning the mess, Lance Chan and his wife reviewed surveillance footage from inside the home. The video showed Lucas urinating on the bags, according to court records.

Lance Chan and his wife tried to speak with their son through his closed bedroom door but got no response. They eventually walked away, his wife heading to their bedroom and Lance Chan to the kitchen.

Lucas Chan, 28, is accused of fatally shooting his father at their Pleasanton home on August 15, 2025.

His wife said minutes later, she heard gunfire erupt from her son's room.

She found her husband on the ground, bleeding from his chest.

Lucas Chan surrendered to officers when they arrived.

Suspect told investigators he wanted to kill

Dig deeper:

In a statement to police, Chan admitted to firing several rounds through his bedroom door with the intent to kill. He said the shooting was premeditated, explaining that he had long harbored thoughts of killing either his father or one of his parents’ friends, who had been at the home.

He told investigators he and his father had a strained relationship since childhood. On the night of the shooting, he said he became upset after seeing a car outside the home belonging to one of his parents’ friends — a man who he believed sexually abused him in the past. Though Lucas Chan was unable to provide details to substantiate those allegations, investigators said.

Chan told police he attempted to calm himself by smoking marijuana, to no avail. He admitted to urinating on the groceries out of spite before his parents returned.

When confronted later, Chan said he heard a voice outside his door say, "You wanted our attention, now you have it."

He told police he didn't know who made that statement on the other side of his bedroom door, but he grabbed two handguns and fired multiple times. His father was struck.

He admitted to police he never intended to render aid and that he deliberately fired with the intent of killing whoever was outside the door.