Former US dressage Olympian is arrested after award-winning horse-woman is shot twice at close range in ‘a landowner-tenant row’ at his 53-acre New Jersey farm
- Michael Barisone, 54, shot Lauren Kanarek, 38, at Hawthorne Farm, police say
- Police were called Wednesday afternoon with Kanarek left fighting for her life
- The incident is said to have been sparked by a landowner-tenant dispute
- Kanarek wrote on Facebook days before the shooting that her life was in danger
- A day earlier she referenced being ‘bullied to the point of being afraid’
- Two others, including Barisone, were reportedly injured but not from gunshots
- Barisone, a member of the 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing, has been charged with two counts each of attempted murder and weapons possession for the attack
A former dressage Olympian has been arrested after an award-winning equestrienne was shot twice at close range in an alleged landowner-tenant row at his 53-acre New Jersey farm.
Michael Barisone, 54, attacked 38-year-old Lauren Kanarek on Wednesday afternoon at Hawthorne Farm in rural Morris County, police say, leaving the national medalist fighting for her life.
Kanarek wrote on social media in the days before her shooting that her life was in danger.
The incident is said to have been sparked by a landowner-tenant dispute, The New York Post reports. Rosanna Williams told the paper: ‘As for what set this off, I can’t discuss it. The situation was very complex.’
Lauren Kanarek was shot twice at close range on Wednesday and was left fighting for her life
Former dressage Olympian Michael Barisone, 54, has been arrested after the award-winning equestrienne was shot at Hawthorne Farm in rural Morris County
She wrote on Facebook that she had been told to ‘sleep with one eye open’.
Kanarek said: ‘A certain known drunk has literally just informed me “sleep with one eye open”. Newsflash: I don’t sleep!!! But Ill B (sic) on the look out for any poorly aimed wine boxes’.
A day earlier she references being ‘bullied to the point of being afraid’.
She wrote: ‘I’m being bulled by a 6’3 man. Bullied to the point I’m afraid. It’s very complicated — I’m not sure of what I can say here — but it seems as if Safe Sport was created for exactly this reason.’
It is understood police had been called to the farm a number of times in the past week.
Friend Williams added: ‘She’s very kind. She’s been working really hard in the sport.’
The incident is said to have been sparked by a landowner-tenant dispute at the farm owned by Barisone. It is understood police were called to the farm a number of times in the past week
Kanarek wrote on social media in the days before her shooting that her life was in danger
Barisone, a member of the 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing, has been charged with two counts each of attempted murder and weapons possession for the attack.
He trained Olympian Allison Brock, who won a bronze medal in dressage at the 2016 games in Rio for the US.
It is understood Kanarek was shot in the chest.
Two others, believed to be Barisone and Lauren’s fiancé, were said to have been injured but not from gunshots.