A New Jersey pet shop owner has been targeted in two separate crimes recently. First, a pricey African grey parrot was stolen, and then, the owner was shot in the face with a crossbow. Raymond M. Carey, 53, was arrested and charged with attempted murder for the crossbow attack on Katarina Rukavishnikova, the owner of Birds by Joe 2 in Saddle Brook. Rukavishnikova was thankfully able to disarm her attacker and seek help at a nearby business. She's currently recovering from serious injuries.
The attack happened Monday evening, and through various investigative techniques, authorities quickly identified and apprehended Carey. This incident follows a previous theft at the pet store in January, where a $7,000 African grey parrot was stolen. While the store was able to recover the bird and a warrant was issued for the suspected thief, Onyx Calderon, police have confirmed that the two incidents are unrelated. Rukavishnikova stated that Carey was a repeat customer and attacked without warning. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Rukavishnikova during her recovery, highlighting her dedication to caring for birds.
