Former US Olympian Charged With Attempted Murder On Award-Winning Equestrian

Another Olympian made the news for all the wrong reasons recently with reports that Michael Barisone was charged with two counts of attempted murder after a shooting at his New Jersey farm. Barisone was part of the US Olympic Dressage Team in the 2008 Olympics in China.

According to the Morris County Prosecutors Office, Barisone was charged with attempted murder and weapon charges tied up to the incident, CNN reported. This was after police were called to the Barisone Dressage last Wednesday after a woman called 911 allegedly with gunshot wounds. Aside from her, there was reportedly another man injured at the scene. BBC News reported that Barisone was also injured but were not shot. There was also a gun recovered per the report.

As of this writing, the identities of the victims linked to the incident have been withheld. The whole incident has left Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello in shock.

"Something like this is extremely unheard of -- we've been nationally ranked as one of the safest municipalities over the past four or five years," he said.

It was not clear if Barsone had an attorney ready although he has not appeared in court at this time, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's office.

A look at Barisone's official website reveals how the former Olympian consistently produces upper-level dressage horses. He has over 100 career CDI Grand Prix wins on nine different horses that he produced himself, a reason why he ends up selling some of them and keeping others to develop for himself.

He remains an active member in dressage and is a member of the USEF Board of Directors, hosting the Colbert Report on national television, and coaching the 2012 US Olympic Team. Among his students include Alison Brock, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

In a report from the New York Post, the woman who was allegedly shot was award-winning equestrian Lauren Kanarek. She was allegedly shot twice in the chest at the Hawthorne Farmin Morris County.

The attack came just days after Kanarek, 38, posted on Facebook that she had reason to fear for her safety. According to her social media posts, Kanarek both rented a home with her fiancé and quartered horses at Hawthorne Farm — an arrangement neighbors and sources said Barisone was seeking to end.

“There was a big red sign in front saying ‘eviction,’ ” said neighbor Bob Jenkins, 66. “He was trying to get them out.”