Drowning is a HORRIBLE way to kill a mammal.
He should have shot it in the head or released it somewhere where there were few people.
Please don’t recommend releasing raccoons. They often carry rabies and it is illegal to release them.
Also speaking as someone who used to live in an area with “few people”, it’s distressing dumped and possibly rabid animals near our families and livestock.
I agree about drowning. These animals should be killed in a more ethical way.