Ex-US Olympic dressage athlete charged with tried homicide

A historical past of disputes between a former Olympic equestrian athlete and two individuals who rented from him at a farm the place he trains riders apparently turned violent this week, leaving a girl with life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Prosecutors in Morris County on Thursday charged Michael Barisone, 54, with two counts of tried homicide and weapons offenses.

In keeping with a prison criticism, a girl referred to as 911 Wednesday afternoon and stated Barisone had shot her twice.

Police arrived to search out the lady bleeding on the bottom with wounds to her chest, and one other man mendacity on high of Barisone. Barisone had fired on the man as properly however had missed, in response to the criticism, and the person had subdued him till police arrived.

The lady’s accidents had been described as critical and life-threatening.

Authorities haven’t launched their names. In keeping with the criticism, they lived on the farm, and there had been a number of latest calls to police from the residence due to what it described as “landlord-tenant associated points.”

Earlier than he was faraway from the scene, Barisone was overheard repeating the phrase, “I had life,” in response to the criticism.

In keeping with his web site, Barisone was a member of the 2008 Olympic workforce and the 1997 gold medal-winning Nations Cup workforce in Hickstead, England. It says he has coached Olympians and is a member of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s board of administrators.

It was not instantly doable to succeed in Barisone, whose voice mailbox was full.

The Morris County prosecutor’s workplace did not have a document of an legal professional listed for Barisone on Friday, and an preliminary courtroom look hadn’t but been scheduled.