A man was brutally stabbed to death late Saturday after seeking assistance at a Queens bodega, according to police and sources.
The unnamed 40-year-old victim had rushed into Sammy’s Gourmet Deli on Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica at 9:40 p.m., where he desperately asked for assistance. A few seconds later, however, he was reached by the assailant, who stabbed him repeatedly in front of shocked store staffers.
According to police sources, there had been a fight that had spilled inside the store before the killing, possibly because of a stolen wallet.
“Bodegas are not equipped to save lives, and that must change,” said Fernando Matero, president of the United Bodegas of America, in a statement released Sunday, according to The New York Post. “There is a state of emergency in place at UBA”, Mateo added,
“We must remember bodegas are community centers to many of these communities”. “Selling eggs, milk and beer is 65% of what we do. The other 35% is helping our community and helping the NYPD solve crimes..
Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled a $40 million initiative in January to support bodega and small-business owners. Of that amount, around $5 million would go toward bolstering security and police presence in order to prevent stealing and violence at local establishments.
