An employee of a deli in East Harlem, New York, was stabbed to death after allegedly getting into an argument with a customer, according to police.
On Tuesday evening, around 11:30 p.m. local time, Ahmed Almulaiki was working inside a deli in the New York neighborhood when another man — who has not yet been located and identified — entered the store, Detective Annette Shelton of The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information (DCPI) tells PEOPLE.
According to the New York Daily News, the suspect was a “frequent disorderly customer” known around the area, who became upset after he was denied a 50 cent credit to buy cigarettes.
After Almulaiki, 34, got into a dispute with the patron inside the establishment, the ordeal then continued outside of the store, where the suspect allegedly “stabbed the victim in the torso with an unknown object,” per Shelton.
Police then arrived at the scene, alongside EMS personnel, who transported Almulaiki to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He was later pronounced dead.
“This guy is working hard to feed his family,” an unnamed relative of the deceased told ABC 7. “He’s just trying to make a living. Who are you to stab him?”
Police also told the Daily News that Almulaiki’s cousin, Zakaria Hussein, was also involved in the alleged altercation, had been stabbed in his left eye. Hussein, 21, the outlet added, was treated at a local hospital and is expected to recover.
The suspect, who left the scene of the crime and ran down East 102nd Street, is described by authorities as “a light-skinned male, approximately 30 to 40 years of age, 180 to 190 pounds, heavyset and last seen wearing a black hooded jacket, black pants and black boots.”
Police added that it is not currently known if any property was stolen during the occurrence and the investigation remains ongoing. Almulaiki’s family has been notified of his death.
Anyone with information surrounding the incident is now being asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website or by submitting them on Twitter.
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Original Article: Deli Worker Stabbed to Death After Dispute with a Customer: He Was ‘Just Trying to Make a Living’
This is a shame ! Why doesn’t the store have video of the altercation in store to identify the man ? Prayers being lifted up for all involved ! God sees all .