As she got ready to head into her store on Thursday, Katarina, the owner of Birds by Joe 2 in Saddle Brook was feeling a bit shaky, still recovering physically and emotionally after being shot with a crossbow in the store on Monday evening.
“I’m doing basically semi-OK. I had to have a few teeth removed … Emotionally, I’m shaky,” said Katarina, who did not wish to give her last name, on Thursday afternoon. “Today reality started to sink in. I was OK Tuesday, yesterday and this morning. Then when I started getting ready to come to the store that’s when it hit me.”
Just before 6 p.m. on Monday evening, Saddle Brook police responded to Birds by Joe 2 on Route 46 after the store’s owner, Katarina, was shot in the face with an arrow from a crossbow.
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After running to a neighboring business for help, Katarina was taken to the hospital and treated for serious injuries. She has since had three teeth removed from her lower jaw. Going forward, she said that it will be a lengthy four-to-five-month process to fix her teeth.
Per Katarina, the man who shot her is a regular customer. He had just been in the store on Friday to buy a cage.
On Monday, he walked in the store and said “hey” like usual, Katarina said. “He walked toward the back of my retail store and said something while he was there, but I couldn’t hear him. So, I walked toward the back where he was and I said, ‘I’m sorry what did you say? I didn’t hear you.’ That’s when he got the crossbow and just shot me at close range.”
The customer, Raymond M. Carey, 53, of Hasbrouck Heights was arrested in Pine Beach in Ocean County Tuesday afternoon and charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and obstructing the administration of the law.
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Birds by Joe 2, which Katarina described as usually very quiet, has remained closed since Monday evening. Katarina and her business partner plan to reopen on Friday. She returned to the store on Thursday to feed the birds, saying, “We open tomorrow. My business partner is here with me, so I am not by myself because it still feels very scary, you know, very fresh.”
Birds by Joe 2, which has been open since November of 2020, made headlines last month as well after a $7,000 African gray parrot was stolen. The parrot was ultimately located by police and returned to the store.
Customers organize a GoFundMe in support of Katarina
In the wake of these two devastating incidents, a customer of the Saddle Brook store has created a GoFundMe in support of Katarina.
“For years, Katarina has been a pillar of love and support for countless birds, dedicating her time to giving them the care, respect, and homes they deserve,” says the GoFundMe description. “Her shop is not just another business, it is a place where people and families learn about different birds, find their perfect feathered companions, and board them knowing that they are getting the best care while they are away.”
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The description continues, “Recently, Katarina was the victim of two crimes, the most recent one enduring an attack at her store, leaving her injured and traumatized. Despite facing these challenges, she continues to pour her heart into caring for her beloved birds.”
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The goal of the fundraiser is to help Katarina recover, cover her medical expenses, and “secure her store so she can continue her incredible work.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised more than $1,500.
“A customer of mine started the GoFundMe page. I appreciate her help and support for doing that,” said Katarina. “We don’t know right now what’s going to happen with our business. We plan to continue to serve our community, which is very lovely. But we also have to think of our safety, my safety and my employees too. We have to decide what we’re going to do but we haven’t made any decisions with the business aspect yet so right now we’re just going to open up tomorrow to help our customers and we’ll take it from there.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Saddle Brook NJ victim shot by crossbow speaks about experience
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