Elderly Woman Fires Flare Gun at Neighbor’s Face in Heated Argument

A quiet Long Island retirement community erupted in chaos when a 76-year-old woman allegedly shot her neighbor in the face with a flare gun after a heated argument over their pets.

Police say Kathleen Schuman, 76, is now facing charges of second-degree assault with a weapon after the shocking incident in West Babylon, N.Y., on Monday, Sept. 8. She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment the following day, and a judge ordered her to stay away from her neighbor while setting bail at $5,000.

The victim, identified as 67-year-old Richard Catrone, was left with six stitches in his cheek after the fiery confrontation. In Ring doorbell footage obtained by NBC 4 New York, Catrone is seen walking his dog when Schuman suddenly fires a flare gun at him from close range.

Catrone then charges at her, grabbing her by the hair and shouting, “F—— idiot! What is wrong with you?” He later told reporters, “My next inclination was to get the gun and I knocked it out of her hand. I wanted to protect my dog. I wanted to protect myself.”

Catrone claims Schuman showed no remorse, telling him, “I’m sorry I missed, sorry I missed,” and even accused him of being “the devil.”

Neighbors say the flare gun attack was the climax of an ongoing feud between the two retirees. Mary Neitzel, who also lives in the complex, told NBC New York that Schuman had moved out for several months because of the tension and had only just returned.

“She actually moved out to live with her sister for a few months. She just moved back a week ago and he just keeps bothering her,” Neitzel said.

Catrone, however, insists the feud began after he asked Schuman to keep her cat indoors because it was upsetting his dog. He says he had even made complaints to the property management company, Belmont Villas Senior Apartments.

The company later released a statement calling the incident “isolated” and saying the safety of residents is their “top priority.”

Both Schuman and Catrone were treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the confrontation. Schuman continues to deny the charges against her, according to News 12.