The owner of Birds by Joe 2 in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, Katarina Rukavishnikova, was shot in the face with a crossbow on Monday night in what has become an attempted homicide investigation.

The victim, who has since been released from the hospital, identified her attacker as a regular customer. He's a repeat customer, Rukavishnikova stated. He shot me without any warning. He didn't say anything.

The violent incident occurs just weeks after the same store was targeted in a separate crime where a $7,000 African Grey parrot was stolen. The rare bird was later recovered unharmed in Paterson, New Jersey, thanks to community tips.

Surveillance footage of the earlier theft showed a suspect, identified as Onyx Calderon, briefly viewing the parrot in a smaller cage before suddenly grabbing it and fleeing the premises. Calderon is currently wanted on theft charges.

According to Saddle Brook Police Chief John Zotollo, the shooting investigation is being conducted jointly by local police and the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office. Officials have confirmed that the crossbow attack was unrelated to the previous parrot theft incident.