LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — For the first time, we're hearing directly from the 84-year-old woman who was shot in Lake Odessa while canvassing against the abortion ballot proposal.
13 On Your Side sat down with Joane Jacobson as she recounted what happened, in her own words.
"I was shocked, stunned," she said, "And I'm just thinking to myself, did he really shoot me?"
On Sept. 20 Jacobson was stopping by homes in Lake Odessa, expressing her concern over the Ballot Proposal 3, which is about abortion rights in Michigan.
She was canvassing to tell people to vote no on the proposal and handing out pamphlets. She said she had been to a dozen homes when she got to the property of Sharon and Richard Harvey.
Jacobson started talking to Sharon, who she says made it clear that she was in favor of the ballot.
"She had told me that she'd had a tubal pregnancy," said Jacobson, "And that she didn't want that to happen to anybody else."
Shortly after, Sharon Harvey told Jacobson to get off her property.
"We really didn't have much of an exchange," she said, "It didn't last very long at all."
Not long after is when Jacobson said she saw Richard Harvey come out of a barn next to the home, and then shot her with a .22-caliber rifle.
"He didn't say anything, she didn't say anything, I didn't say anything," Jacobson said.
Jacobson said she had no idea anyone else was home, or at the property at the time.
"The pain first in my back was so intense, so that's why I told police I thought he shot me in the back," she said.
She later found out that she had been shot from the side. The bullet entered the top of her right shoulder and exited out her upper back, near her spine.
Jacobson immediately got in her car and drove herself to a nearby police station. She was later taken to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Just a short time later, Sharon Harvey called 911.
"Lady on her property that won't leave. No idea who she is. She drove on her grass. Wants her to sign some type of petition.
"Now it sounds like the caller's husband shot at her and nicked her with a bullet and she's bleeding. We'll be starting medical," said the dispatch operator.
Jacobson's attorney, David Kallman, said Richard Harvey admitted that he fired a "warning shot" and then claimed he accidentally shot Jacobson with a second shot.
"If he fired a quote-unquote 'warning shot,' what was he even warning?" Kallman added.
Police haven't said if Richard Harvey was provoked over Jacobson's pro-life beliefs, or if it was because she wouldn't leave his property. Prosecuting Attorney of Ionia County, Kyle Butler, said everyone who was involved has been interviewed, and the firearm has been seized.
"That's a question for the police and for the prosecutor, as to why he hasn't been arrested at this point," said Kallman.
Jacobson is now recovering at home with her husband, and said she'll likely take a break from canvassing for the time being.
"I'm very sorry that it happened," she said. "Never in my time that I've gone out door-to-door in my community, Odessa Township, Precinct 2, have I ever felt threatened like this before."
13 On Your Side attempted to make contact with Mr. Harvey earlier this week. He did not want to comment and asked us to leave.
Michigan State Police are still investigating.
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