NewsPalm Beach CountyRegion C Palm Beach CountyWellington

Actions

Former Olympian equestrian trainer faces attempted murder charges in New Jersey

Michael Barisone accused of shooting woman he had been training last summer
Michael Barisone appears in court in August 2019
Posted at 9:08 AM, Mar 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-03 09:09:16-05

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A former Olympian from South Florida is facing attempted murder charges in connection with a shooting in New Jersey last year.

Michael Barisone appeared in court Monday in New Jersey ahead of his upcoming trial.

Secret recordings, Facebook posts and abuse complaints are among the more than 31,000 pieces of evidence lawyers must sift through before the trial, according to NJ.com.

Barisone is accused of shooting Lauren Kanarek in the chest at his equestrian farm last August. He's also accused of shooting at her fiancé during the same confrontation.

Authorities said the shooting stemmed from a landlord-tenant dispute with Barisone, who had agreed to let Kanarek live at the farm while he trained her.

Barisone, 55, was a member of the 2008 Olympic equestrian team that competed in Beijing. He coached a rider who won a bronze medal in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

He married a fellow rider in Palm Beach in 2000 and currently owns a home in Loxahatchee.