Residents of a senior living community in West Babylon, NY, were left shaken after a confrontation between neighbors took a violent turn. Authorities say 76-year-old Kathleen Schumann fired a flare gun at her neighbor, Richard Catron, as he walked his dog outside their apartment complex.
The incident was captured on a doorbell camera, showing Schumann opening her door and pulling the trigger at point-blank range. The flare ricocheted off Catron’s face before landing in the parking lot. Catron needed six stitches to close the wound, but he says his immediate concern was protecting his dog. “It happened so quickly,” he explained. “I had no time to think, but I wanted to protect my dog and myself.”
The two neighbors had a history of disputes, often involving their pets. Catron’s dog and Schumann’s cat had been a source of tension. Catron said he only asked her to keep the cat inside because it upset his dog, but arguments continued to build.
When police arrived, Schumann showed no remorse. Catron recalled her words: “She claimed I was the devil. She claimed I tried to murder her and she said, ‘I’m sorry I missed.’” Blood still marked the walkway outside their apartments after the attack.
Schumann was arrested and charged with assault. In court, she pleaded not guilty. A judge set her bail at $5,000 and ordered her to stay away from Catron. She was allowed to briefly return to her apartment under police escort to collect personal belongings before moving in with a relative.
For Catron, the entire episode has been difficult to understand. “I’ve lived in Manhattan. I’ve lived in San Francisco. I’ve lived in Boston. Nothing ever happened to me. I moved to Suffolk County in a senior community, and my neighbor shoots me in the face with a flare.”
The case has raised questions about safety and conflict in communities meant to provide peace during retirement years. While neighbors try to return to a sense of normalcy, the shock of the incident lingers.
Catron is recovering physically, but emotionally he is still processing what happened. Schumann faces her next court appearance in the weeks ahead, while residents hope for calm to return to their quiet neighborhood.