A shocking and tragic incident has come to light from Arkansas, USA, where a 29-year-old man, Joseph Alexander, allegedly shot his mother in the face with a crossbow, demanded money from both parents, and later stole his father’s truck to flee the scene.
The bizarre attack happened early on the morning of March 24 in Bentonville, Arkansas, and started with an argument about a cat.
Argument Over a Cat Turns Violent
Police said that Alexander broke into his parents’ home through a window that led to his former bedroom. He then allegedly shot his mother three times in the head with a crossbow. The mother survived and managed to tell the story from her hospital bed.
She said she was letting the cat out of her bedroom around 6:45 a.m., when she suddenly felt like her eardrum popped and saw a blue light. She fell to the ground and was struck by more arrows. She later told police, “When I did, I got popped two more times; it was an arrow sticking out of my head.”
He Demanded Money and Fled with a Truck
Her husband came running after hearing her screams and saw his son standing over her with a crossbow in hand. Alexander reportedly said, “Don’t worry about it, Dad, she’s dead.”
He then demanded money. The father sent $2,000 through Cash App, the maximum allowed, and later sent another $1,400. When he couldn’t provide more due to forgotten bank passwords, Alexander took his father’s credit card and truck keys and escaped in the vehicle.
Brave Escape by Injured Mother
Despite serious injuries, the mother pretended to be dead while Alexander and her husband were in the garage. She then used her walker to reach a neighbour’s house for help, as she couldn’t find her phone.
Police arrived and found a trail of blood inside the house and signs of a violent struggle. The father also had scratches and bruises from trying to protect his wife during the attack.
Police Chase and Arrest
Around 75 miles away, police in Stone County, Missouri, spotted the stolen truck and tried to stop Alexander. He refused to pull over, leading to a police chase, and finally crashed the vehicle. He was arrested soon after.
A paramedic on the scene asked Alexander what had happened. He claimed that he was petting his cat at home, and when his mother said something to the cat, he became angry and shot her with what he called a “toy crossbow.”
He admitted to pulling back the crossbow and firing again when the first arrow did not “go in all the way.” During police questioning, he said, “I didn’t have a reason. I just lost my cool. I thought she was going after my cat.”
Criminal History and Jail Status
According to police records, Alexander has been arrested three times since 2014 for various charges, including aggravated assault and attacking law enforcement. He is now facing multiple serious charges, including:
- Attempted capital murder
- Residential burglary
- Domestic battery
He is currently being held in the Benton County Jail.