Video: NYC man stabbed to death in dispute over not saying 'thank you'



A New York City man was stabbed to death at a smoke shop in Brooklyn. The brutal butchery was purportedly ignited because a man didn't wasn't told "thank you" for holding a door open for another customer.

The fatal altercation happened around 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday at the 4th Ave. Tobacco Road Corp.

The 37-year-old victim — who has not yet been identified because the family is still being notified — held the door open for a fellow customer, according to police.

"It was just about not saying 'thank you' for opening the door for him," said Kharef Alsaidi – an employee at the bodega.

Alsaidi said the victim – seen wearing white in the video – opened the door for the suspect and then asked, "Why don't you say 'thank you' for opening the door?"

The suspect reportedly replied, "I didn't tell you to open the door for me."

Alsaidi recollected, "Just about not saying thank you for opening the door for him and, you know, they just started talking to each other about, you know, 'You can't do nothing!' Just threats between each other."

A security camera captured the moment the two men engaged in a physical confrontation. The men are seen on video slamming each other into walls and glass showcases at the store.

Alsaidi said he called 911 right away and explained, "I tried to de-escalate the problem by telling the guy, 'Just put the knife away. He's not worth it. It's not worth it. I did my best to de-escalate, but nothing worked."

According to WABC-TV, "The verbal dispute quickly escalated to a physical altercation that spilled outside the store, and the victim is said to have taunted the suspect, telling him, 'Stab me if you can do it.'"

The New York Post reported, "The door-holder punched the other man as he got on his e-bike to leave — prompting his rival to stab him with a 'sharp object' in return, the sources said."

The suspect grabbed a knife from his e-bike and then stabbed the victim in the abdomen and neck, authorities said.

Alsaidi recalled, "The victim started screaming, 'He stabbed me! He stabbed me!'" He said the victim then staggered into the store and was "bleeding all over the floor."

The victim was rushed to New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital – where he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, the suspected killer biked away from the crime scene, heading south on 4th Avenue toward Carroll Street.

Police are still searching for the suspect in the deadly stabbing.

The suspect is said to have been wearing a black sweater, white shirt, and jeans. He was last seen wearing a black backpack.

Anyone with information about the deadly stabbing that started from a person not saying "thank you" is urged to contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit anonymous tips to the police by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips.

Man killed in dispute over not saying 'thank you' at NYC smoke shop www.youtube.com

New video: Deli worker Jose Alba pleads with angry Austin Simon 'I don't want a problem' before Simon — an ex-con — attacks Alba, and Alba stabs Simon



New video shows New York City deli worker Jose Alba pleading with an angry Austin Simon "I don't want a problem," before Simon walks into the area behind the counter and attacks Alba — after which Alba fatally stabs Simon in what many are calling a clear case of self-defense.

What are the details?

Simon confronted Alba at the Bluemoon Convenient Store in Harlem late July 1 after Alba allegedly touched the hand of the daughter of Simon's girlfriend and took back a bag of chips from the daughter that Simon's girlfriend couldn't pay for.

In the latest video of the altercation obtained by the New York Post, Alba appears to try to avoid a confrontation with Simon and de-escalate things.

“Papa, I don’t want a problem, papa,” Alba can be heard telling Simon, who appears to be the aggressor as he walks into the space behind the counter and growls, "What's wrong with you?"

Initially obtained security video shows Simon shoving Alba into shelves and apparently grabbing Alba by the neck and attempting to walk Alba out of the space behind the counter — which is when video shows Alba grabbing a knife and stabbing Simon.

Content warning: Graphic video:

'Gonna come down here right now and f*** you up!'

According to the Post's story — which contains a longer version of the new video — a woman is heard yelling off camera, “You can’t touch my daughter. Don’t snatch that out of my daughter, you f***ing piece of s**t!”

The woman adds, “I’m gonna bring my [racial slur] down here, and he gonna f*** you up. My [racial slur] is gonna come down here right now and f*** you up!” the Post reported.

Alba replies, “That’s not my fault; it’s not working," presumably in reference to the woman's benefits card.

The new video also shows the stabbing from a different angle as well as police handcuffing Alba:

Image source: Daily Mail video screenshot

Image source: Daily Mail video screenshot

Alba was charged with second-degree murder the day after the deadly confrontation and sent to the notorious Rikers Island prison on $250,000 bail. Alba was released Thursday after prosecutors agreed to lower his bail to $50,000. The case is scheduled to go before a grand jury July 20.

Francisco Marte, founder of the Bodega and Small Business Group, told the Post that Alba was “very sorry for what happened.”

“He knew that his life was threatened. He was protecting himself…or we would be looking to bury him today,” Marte added to the paper.

A separate Post story reported that Simon was on parole at the time of last week's deadly incident for assaulting a cop. State corrections records show Simon served prison time on a second-degree assault conviction for attacking the officer before he was paroled last year, the Post added.

In addition, the paper — citing sources and records — said Simon was busted at least eight times on charges ranging from assault and robbery to assault during a domestic dispute.

Anything else?

The New York Daily News — citing the criminal complaint — added that Simon’s girlfriend grabbed a knife from her purse and stabbed Alba in the arm.

Police sources said Alba was stabbed during the assault but that Simon's girlfriend denied to police that she stabbed Alba, the Post said in a separate story. Alba's lawyer said during his arraignment that Simon’s girlfriend stabbed Alba three times in the shoulder and hand, the Post added.

Content warning: Graphic video: