A Hasbrouck Heights man is in custody after allegedly shooting a woman in the face with a crossbow at a bird store in Saddle Brook.
Authorities said the attack occurred Monday around 5:55 p.m. at Birds By Joe 2, an exotic bird shop on Route 46. The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Raymond Carey, was arrested Tuesday in Pine Beach. He faces charges including attempted murder, weapons offenses, and obstruction.
The victim, identified only as Katarina, ran into a nearby bike shop seeking help. Surveillance footage captured the aftermath. Witnesses said she was bleeding from her mouth and handed a crossbow to an employee before emergency crews arrived. She was transported to the hospital with injuries to her jaw, lips, and teeth but returned to the shop Tuesday to care for the birds.
Deniz Taska, a friend of the victim, said Carey was a regular customer. “She said he comes here every other week to get seeds and other stuff, so we don’t know why he did it,” Taska said.
Saddle Brook police and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office worked with federal and local agencies to track Carey. Investigators used surveillance footage to identify his vehicle and arrested him Tuesday just before 1 p.m.
The shop was the site of another recent crime. In January, a $7,000 African grey parrot was stolen but later recovered. Authorities said there is no known connection between the incidents.
“I just want to wish the best for her, that she heals quickly and she gets back to feeding the birds,” said Victor Jaramillo, a nearby print shop owner. “She literally hand feeds each one of them. That is why she has such a successful business,”
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the attack.
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