Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced Thursday that a Lawrence man has been indicted on attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting his sister in the head with a crossbow in February, following months of planning rooted in a domestic dispute over a thermostat.
Samy Sedhom, 21, faces charges of attempted murder, two counts of assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court on April 30. A conviction on the top count carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
According to Donnelly, the attack occurred on Feb. 13 on West Avenue in Lawrence. Sedhom’s sister had just returned home from the gym when she noticed his car parked across the street from their shared residence. After pulling into the detached garage, she began entering the code to close the garage door. That is when Sedhom allegedly fired a G5 hunting arrow from a high-performance Barnett Whitetail Hunter Crossbow, striking her in the head.
The arrow caused severe bleeding and serious physical injuries to her right ear, right cheek, and face, leaving an approximately six-inch laceration. She was transported to a hospital, where surgeons performed emergency surgery to stop the bleeding and close the wound.
What makes this case particularly chilling is the alleged premeditation behind it. Investigators say Sedhom had been plotting to kill his sister since December 2025. The motive, according to the DA’s office, was a series of arguments between the two siblings over the temperature setting on their home’s thermostat.
Before carrying out the attack, Sedhom allegedly purchased the crossbow, a three-pack of hunting arrows, and a GPS tracking device. He then installed the GPS unit inside his sister’s car to monitor her whereabouts and movements, allowing him to time the ambush.
After firing the shot, Sedhom allegedly returned to his vehicle and drove to the intersection of West Avenue and Bayview Avenue, where he discarded the crossbow. Police recovered the weapon. A search of his bedroom on the night of the attack turned up a black Katana sword, a laptop, and an empty crossbow box matching the same make and model as the weapon used in the assault.
“The defendant’s alleged actions were violent and calculated. Home should be a safe haven, not a place of fear and bloodshed,” Donnelly said following the indictment.
The case raises serious questions about domestic threat assessment and the accessibility of high-powered weapons marketed primarily for hunting. The Barnett Whitetail Hunter Crossbow is a commercially available product sold at major sporting goods retailers across New York and nationwide. No special licensing is required to purchase a crossbow in New York State, though using one to harm a person triggers serious felony exposure under state law.
What taxpayers should also understand is the full cost this case will impose on Nassau County’s criminal justice system. From the Nassau County Police Department’s investigation and evidence collection, to the District Attorney’s prosecution, public defense costs if Sedhom qualifies, and the potential decades of incarceration ahead, cases like this carry a significant price tag. Nassau County spent more than $290 million on its correctional center and criminal justice operations in the most recent budget cycle. Every violent felony prosecution adds to that burden.
That cost falls directly on Nassau property taxpayers, who already shoulder some of the highest property tax rates in the country.
None of that accounting diminishes the severity of what Sedhom’s sister endured. She survived a calculated, premeditated ambush outside her own home. The alleged motive, a thermostat dispute, underscores how quickly domestic conflict can escalate into lethal violence when warning signs go unaddressed.
Sedhom remains on the docket for April 30. The DA’s office has not yet indicated whether additional charges could follow as the investigation continues.