Police Release 911 Call In T.G.I. Friday's Chef Death
PEMBROKE PINES (CBS4) –Police released the 911 call and surveillance video in the case of the man who was stabbed and killed in the parking lot of a T.G.I. Friday's parking lot in Pembroke Pines last Thursday.
Pembroke Pine Police Department released the 911 call and surveillance video a press conference Thursday afternoon at the department at 9500 Pines Blvd. They hope the video will assist them in finding the person who stabbed and killed Antoine Gracius.
In the tape the co-worker pleads to send help immediately.
"He's bleeding! He needs an ambulance immediately," the caller said.
At first the coworker thought Gracius was hit in the parking lot but then realized he was stabbed.
"Someone was trying to rob him," the caller said. "They are in a black van, the lights are off and he's going east on Pines Boulevard."
Pembroke Pines Police confirmed that they reported to the call of a male T.G.I. Friday's employee who was stabbed several times during an alleged robbery attempt at the restaurant's parking lot on Thursday, April 14.
When they arrived at 90 N. University Drive at approximately 1:30 a.m., they found Gracius, the restaurant's cook, in the parking lot with stab wounds.
Police said Gracius was leaving work when he was stabbed.
Gracius, 53, was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital by Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue where he died as a result of his injuries, police said.
Police released a sketch of the assailant who was driving the getaway car.
A family member of Gracius also spoke at the event. His cousin Susie Joseph pleased with the public for help.
"Please, please we need to find who killed him," she said.
T.G.I. Friday's spokesperson Steve Coe said they are saddened by the passing of their employee.
"We are heartbroken at the senseless death of a long-time and valued member of the Friday's family in our Pembroke Pines store," Coe said. "We are offering counseling to team members. We are cooperating fully with police. "
Surveillance video obtained from the parking lot shows a dark colored, possibly dark blue or black, mini-van passing by the front doors of T.G.I. Friday's just prior to the incident. Police said the assailant was attempting to rob Gracius.
The van was being driven by a light skinned male, possibly a White or Latin male, and has passenger side sliding door damage, police said. Police also said the van has a sticker on the back window.
The video released Thursday showed Gracius walking out of the restaurant and shortly thereafter banging on the door and staggering.
Police said Gracius' necklace was also ripped from his neck.
"A male suspect violently stabs Gracius and rips a gold chain from his neck," Captain Dan Rakofsky of the Pembroke Pines Police Department said.
Police recovered a remnant of the gold chain in the parking lot.
His family said Gracius moved to the United States from Haiti nine years ago and sent money to his wife and nine children back in Haiti. home.
His cousin Claudette Gabriel said she had to break the devastating news over the phone.
"When I called I spoke to his daughter and said she would never see her father again," Gabriel said. "It hurt me to tell her."
Another cousin Andre Filsiam described Gracius as a father figure. If ever I had a problem "he always found a way to make me laugh."
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Heim at 954-431-2200 or send an email to Tips@ppines.com. You may also call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
