Bronx Deli Worker Shot Dead In Williamsbridge, Couple In Custody For Questioning
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - In the Bronx, a 20-year-old deli worker is dead after being shot while on the job.
The family of the man who owns the deli on White Plains Road in the Williamsbridge section says Mohammed Yahya Qutaish was attacked while at work by two people before he was fatally shot, reports CBS2's Kiran Dhillon.
Just hours after the killing, friends gathered to mourn Qutaish's death outside the bodega he worked in.
"He's the best man, he's my friend," said Mamoun Albahri.
"He was really humble," said William Brown. "He stayed to himself a lot. He didn't really bother anyone."
Sources say Qutaish was inside the store when he got into an argument with a 25-year-old woman.
During the argument, the woman's 28-year-old male acquaintance entered the store.
After a brief verbal exchange, sources say the man pulled out a gun and fired, hitting the victim in the chest.
"He got into a fight and he shot him," said Ahmed Alkifi.
Ahmed Alkifi's son owns the store. He says his son went to the hospital with Qutaish but the young man later died.
It was unclear what sparked the initial argument that led to the shooting, but sources say officers responding to a 911 call grabbed the pair nearby soon after the shooting.
A gun has since been recovered.
The man and woman connected to Tuesday's shooting were taken to the 47th Precinct for questioning. No charges have been filed yet.
The Yemeni American Merchants Association says most of the victim's family is in Yemen.
"I cannot find even words to express my feeling now because we all as a Yemeni community are shocked and sad," said Labeb Nasher. "We are here to support our community and the family and the guy who died."
On Saturday, another Yemeni clerk was shot and killed while working at B&A Gourmet Deli on the corner of Brook Avenue and 137th Street in Mott Haven. The Yemeni American Merchants Association is offering a $10,000 reward to help police find the killer in that incident.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
