A New Jersey pet store owner, Katarina Rukavishnikova, was shot in the face with a crossbow in a shocking incident that occurred at her store, Birds by Joe 2, located on Route 46 in Saddle Brook. The incident happened around 6 p.m. on Monday, and the suspect, a repeat customer of the store, is now in custody facing attempted murder charges.
Upon receiving a 911 call about a severely injured woman, local police arrived at the scene to find Rukavishnikova with a crossbow arrow lodged in her face. The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Raymond Carey, had fled the scene by the time authorities arrived.
With assistance from the FBI and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Carey was apprehended on Tuesday around 1 p.m. in Pine Beach, a small town near Toms River on the Jersey Shore. He has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, among other charges, and is awaiting his first court appearance, according to a press release from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Despite the traumatic incident, Rukavishnikova, who was hospitalized following the attack, returned to work by Tuesday. She told NJ.com that the attack was unrelated to a recent robbery at her store, and that the shooter was a regular customer. She recalled the incident, stating that the man shot her without any warning or provocation.
This incident follows a string of unfortunate events for Rukavishnikova, starting with a robbery at her store on January 23. A thief, caught on camera, stole an African Grey parrot valued at approximately $7,000. The suspect, wearing a dark Nike hoodie, entered the store and asked to see the expensive bird before suddenly grabbing the cage and fleeing.
The store’s security cameras captured the entire incident, and images were later posted on the store’s Instagram account. Rukavishnikova expressed her concern for the bird’s well-being, as African Greys are known for their intelligence and mimicry skills, making them highly sought-after pets.
The bird was eventually recovered earlier this month in Paterson following a tip about its location. A 24-year-old man named Onyx Calderon, from Paterson, was identified as a suspect in the bird theft, but his current whereabouts are unknown.