Bronx Man Stabbed To Death During Fight With Bodega Worker, Wife Claims He Was Killed For Shoplifting
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Bronx man is dead and a community is outraged over claims the deadly fight started over a stolen drink.
There was unrest outside of a Bronx bodega Thursday after police say a man was stabbed to death inside earlier in the day.
Authorities say 37-year-old Franki Williams has been identified as the victim at the at Longwood Avenue store.
A sneaker marked as evidence remained inside the store.
"We had this conversation, he told me when I die don't cry, when I heard I thought it as a joke," Ephithany Thompson, the victim's wife said.
His wife claims the incident began with an act of shoplifting and says the man who pulled out a weapon was an employee.
"The only thing I know was my husband took a beer, it was one beer he took supposedly, they ended up locking the door and they just started fighting with him and they took a machete and started to cut him for no reason, he didn't deserve that," Thompson alleged.
Police have not confirmed the motive or what type of weapon was used but say 26-year-old Ronny Torres was arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder.
The violence sparked outrage and calls for the store to be shut down.
Police remained outside the business Thursday night with the gates still shuttered.
Regardless of how the incident began, the outcome was no less tragic.
"My kids don't have a father. I don't have a husband. I don't have a spouse," the woman added.
