A Long Island man has shot his girlfriend in the back with a rifle after a heated argument about The Walking Dead.
Newsday reports that Jared M. Gurman, 26, went out with his girlfriend, Jessica Gelderman, 27, on Sunday night and began arguing about the popular TV show.
"I just know that he felt very adamant that there could be some type of military mishap that would result in some sort of virus or something being released that could cause terrible things to happen," said Det. Lt. Raymond Cote when asked for details. "She felt that it was ridiculous."
The argument escalated, to the point where Geldermann decided to spend the night at her parents' home instead of at Gurman's apartment. The two continued arguing about the show via text message, until Gelderman decided to go to Gurman's apartment to smooth things over.
When Gelderman arrived at the apartment building, Gurman was sitting on the stairs, holding his rifle.
"She tried to defuse the situation and calm him down and told him, 'Let's just go to bed'," Cote said.
According to police, Gurman pointed the rifle and fired one round into the middle of Gelderman's back as she climbed the stairs.
In a statement to police, Gurman said he was annoyed Gelderman — who he had been dating for three and a half years — had come to his apartment.
"Jess walked into the room and I fired the gun once and hit her," Gurman said. "She said, 'Oh my god. What did you do?'"
A single round from Gurman's .22-caliber semiautomatic rifle pierced Gelderman's lung and diaphragm and shattered her ribbs. Gurman drove her to Long Island Jewish Medical Centre, where he was arrested.
Gurman has been arraigned on one count of second-degree attempted murder, and jailed without bail. His attorney, Edward L. Lieberman, insists the rifle "went off accidentally".
Gelderman is in stable condition with the bullet still in her body. She is likely to live, denying Gurman the chance to prove his theory.
