In Chilling Attack, Fake Delivery Results in Crossbow Shooting

Police in Canada are investigating a bizarre and chilling attempted murder involving a fake delivery man and a concealed crossbow. The victim, a 44-year-old woman, barely survived being shot by the weapon at close range, reports the CBC. The details:

• Fake delivery: The incident took place about 8pm on Nov. 7 in Mississauga, Ontario, reports the Toronto Star. A woman answered her door to find an apparent delivery man holding a large box. However, police say the box actually concealed a crossbow, which was pointed directly at her.
• Video: Police released this video of the suspect. (Note: It does not show the actual shooting.) The man's face is mostly visible on the porch, though he might be wearing a wig. Police also point out his hat and shoes, hoping they might be familiar to someone.

• A conversation: The woman did not know, or at least did not recognize, the man. Police say he fired the crossbow after a brief conversation, then fled in a pickup. The woman was able to close the door, despite being severely injured, and call for help.
• Awful detail: A crossbow arrow recovered from the scene is one designed for big-game hunting, as in moose. "The injuries that she sustained were absolutely devastating," says a police official in Peel, Ontario, per the Guardian. “It involved damage to a lot of her internal organs. She’ll be in recovery phase for the rest of her life. … Her life will never be the same.” Police say the woman is recuperating in a "place of safety."
• Motive: Police aren't being too revealing, but they're characterizing this as an isolated, targeted attack, reports CNN. "Comments made to the victim [by the suspect] indicate the victim was targeted and that the suspect may have carried out the attack at the request of another individual," says another police official. "It is clear that this attack was meant to end the victim’s life."

(More crossbow stories.)