Police say the 21-year-old waited outside their Lawrence home after she returned from the gym.
LAWRENCE, New York — A 21-year-old Long Island man is charged with attempted murder after police and prosecutors say he fired a crossbow at his sister outside their home, and the hunting arrow grazed the right side of her face, leaving her bleeding and injured.
The case has drawn attention because investigators say the attack was planned and carried out steps from a family’s attached garage on a quiet residential street. Prosecutors say the man told authorities he meant to kill his 28-year-old sister and had been thinking about it since Christmas. He is being held in jail under a full stay-away order as he awaits his next court appearance.
Police in Nassau County said officers were called to a home on West Avenue just before 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 after a report of a woman hurt at the property. When officers arrived, they found the 28-year-old woman with blood on the right side of her face, authorities said. Detectives said the woman had just pulled into the attached garage after returning home from the gym. As she moved to close the garage, investigators said, she felt a sharp pain to her face and realized she had been struck by an arrow fired from a crossbow. A neighbor, reacting to news of the arrest, said families argue like anyone else and added that it might have been “an argument that went too far.”
Authorities identified the suspect as Samy Sedhom, 21, of Lawrence. Detectives said the woman saw Sedhom sitting inside a parked car across the street as she arrived home. Investigators said both siblings got out of their vehicles near the garage area. The woman tried to enter the code to close the garage door when the arrow struck, police said. She called 911 after she began bleeding, authorities said. Investigators later found the arrow lodged in the back wall of the garage, a detail prosecutors have pointed to as evidence of how close the shot came to doing far worse damage.
During a search connected to the investigation, police said they went into the suspect’s bedroom and seized items they described as related to the case. They said they found a box for the crossbow, along with a katana-style samurai sword and a laptop computer. Investigators also listed evidence tampering among the charges, though authorities have not publicly detailed what actions led to that count. Sedhom was additionally charged with assault, criminal possession of a weapon and stalking, according to police and court information discussed in public briefings. The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
Prosecutors said Sedhom admitted he shot his sister and told investigators he intended to kill her. Court information described in local reports said the plan had been developing for weeks, dating back to Christmas. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, speaking about the allegations, described the case as rooted in a family dispute and said the siblings had been fighting about household temperature. She characterized the underlying issue as a “brother-sister rivalry,” a phrase that prosecutors have used to explain what they believe sparked the escalation. Authorities have not released any broader motive beyond that description, and investigators have not said whether there were prior police calls to the home related to domestic conflict.
Sedhom was arraigned in Nassau County court and remained in custody as the case moved forward. A judge issued a full stay-away order for the sister, prosecutors said. Sedhom’s next court date was scheduled for Wednesday, and the case is expected to return to court for further proceedings, including decisions on evidence, possible hearings and the pace of prosecution. Prosecutors have said that, if convicted on the attempted murder charge, he could face up to 25 years in prison under New York sentencing rules for that level of felony.
In Lawrence, residents who learned of the allegations said the street is normally calm, with families coming and going and cars parked along the curb. The scene described by investigators, with a family member waiting across the street and a shot fired as someone tried to close a garage, has unsettled neighbors who said they were surprised violence erupted in front of a home. One local resident said the public details sounded like a private dispute that spiraled quickly. Authorities have not said whether anyone else witnessed the moment the arrow was fired, and they have not released surveillance video or photos showing the incident itself.
The investigation remains active as detectives and prosecutors work to document the timeline, secure physical evidence and interview witnesses. Authorities have not publicly said whether Sedhom has entered a plea beyond the initial court process, and they have not released information about his legal representation. The woman’s current condition beyond being listed as stable has not been detailed publicly, and officials have not described whether she faces long-term injury from the facial wound.
Author note: Last updated February 18, 2026.