Lauren Kanarek was shot by her former Olympic dressage trainer Michael Barisone in a 2019 New Jersey farm incident that led to a high-profile criminal trial and documentary coverage.
The case involving Lauren Kanarek stems from a violent incident that occurred in August 2019 at a horse training facility in Long Valley, New Jersey, owned by former Olympic equestrian Michael Barisone.
According to court records and reporting, Kanarek was living on the property with her fiancé while training under Barisone when a long-running dispute between them escalated. The conflict involved accusations of harassment, eviction disagreements, and escalating tensions on the farm.
Authorities say Barisone shot Kanarek twice during the confrontation, leaving her critically injured. She survived after emergency medical treatment and multiple surgeries. The incident also involved her fiancé, who was present during the shooting and called emergency services.
Barisone was arrested and charged with attempted murder. During the legal proceedings, his defense argued that he was suffering from a severe mental health crisis at the time of the shooting. In 2022, a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity, and he was ordered to receive psychiatric treatment instead of prison time.
The case gained widespread attention due to its unusual circumstances, the high-profile nature of Barisone’s Olympic background, and the competing narratives from both sides. It has since been featured in documentaries and true-crime coverage, with both Kanarek and Barisone publicly sharing their perspectives.
Kanarek has continued to speak about her recovery and the long-term impact of the shooting, while the case remains one of the more widely discussed incidents in modern equestrian sports history.