An elderly Long Island woman, 76-year-old Kathleen Schuman, is accused of shooting her neighbor in the face with a flare gun. According to reports, the incident allegedly stemmed from an ongoing feud over pets.
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As reported by USA Today, citing the Suffolk County Police Department, the incident occurred on Monday, September 8. At around 5:45 p.m., an altercation broke out outside a Wyandanch Avenue residence at Belmont Villas Senior Apartments in West Babylon.
NBC New York reported that Schuman’s neighbor, identified as 67-year-old Richard Catrone, was walking his dog on a leash. Out of the blue, Schuman exited her apartment and allegedly fired a flare gun directly at Catrone’s face. Footage shows the projectile hitting Catrone on the cheek, with him holding his face in pain.
“My next inclination was to get the gun and I knocked it out of her hand and she went to get it and I wanted to protect my dog. I wanted to protect myself,” Catrone told the outlet. “Kathleen showed no emotion. She claimed I was the devil that I tried to murder her. She said, ‘I’m sorry I missed, sorry I missed.'”
A Pet Feud
According to their neighbors, Schuman and Catrone have reportedly feuded over their two pets. Neighbor Mary Neitzel accused Catrone of harassing Schuman, saying that her cat upsets his dog. At the same time, this was somehow confirmed by Catrone, saying, “I just asked her can you keep the cat inside and that started the situation.”
Catrone was transported to the hospital having suffered non-life-threatening injuries. He received six stitches as a result of the alleged flare gun shot.
Meanwhile, as reported by News 12, Kathleen Schuman was arrested and charged with second-degree assault. Then, in court, she pleaded not guilty. Furthermore, Schuman was ordered to stay away from Catrone, and she will stay with a relative for the time being.
A spokesman for Conifer LLC., who oversees Belmont Villas Senior Apartments, shared a statement with media outlets, addressing the incident.
“We are aware of an altercation that occurred yesterday evening between two residents of the Belmont Villas community,” the statement said. “This was an isolated incident between individuals and unrelated to the community itself. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as they handle the matter. The safety and well-being of our residents remain our top priority.”