A New Jersey business owner is recovering after a horrifying attack that highlights growing concerns over crime and public safety. Katarina Ruk, who has owned her pet store for five years, was viciously assaulted when a longtime customer entered her shop and shot her in the face with a crossbow.
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. when 53-year-old Raymond Carey entered the store. Ruk, assuming he was there for business as usual, approached him. Without warning, Carey pulled a crossbow from a small bag and fired, striking her in the mouth. When he attempted to reload for a second shot, Ruk fought back, managing to knock the weapon from his hands.
“If I had not taken that, I’m sure he would have killed me,” Ruk recounted. Despite her severe injuries—including multiple broken and lost teeth, as well as cuts to her lips and tongue—she managed to escape and seek help from a nearby bike shop.
Ruk was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency treatment. Doctors had to remove three of her bottom teeth, and she expects a long five-month recovery. However, she says the emotional trauma may take even longer to heal.
“He’s in jail, but now I have that insecure feeling on me,” she said, expressing her concerns about safety even after the attack.
This shocking act of violence raises serious questions about public safety and the justice system’s ability to keep dangerous individuals off the streets. With soft-on-crime policies and a revolving door in the legal system, many law-abiding citizens feel increasingly vulnerable. Business owners and workers deserve to operate without fear of violent criminals who, too often, are free to roam with little consequence.
Burglaries, car thefts, and retail theft remain common in both urban and suburban areas. In recent years, there has been a rise in organized retail crime, with criminals targeting high-end stores and small businesses alike. The rise in carjackings—particularly of luxury vehicles—has also drawn concern, as criminals exploit soft-on-crime policies that often allow repeat offenders back on the streets.
New Jersey’s criminal justice policies have been under scrutiny for being too lenient on repeat offenders. Bail reform, which eliminated cash bail for many non-violent offenders, has led to cases where criminals are quickly released after being arrested, only to commit further crimes. Critics argue that this has emboldened criminals and put law-abiding citizens at risk.
