Police reportedly have described NYC deli stabbing suspect as transgender



Police have described the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a postal worker in Harlem as transgender, according to a New York Post story published Friday afternoon.

"The repeat offender — who has been described by cops as a transgendered woman — now faces murder charges for the brutal knifing of Ray Hodges, an on-duty USPS letter carrier who was grabbing lunch at the deli at 168 Lenox Ave," the Post's story says.

WABC said police found Hodges stabbed or slashed multiple times — including in the torso, arms, back, and neck — inside the establishment.

In addition, the stabbing suspect — 24-year-old Jaia Cruz — was arrested at least five times before Thursday's fatal stabbing of Hodges, the Post added, citing law enforcement sources.

The paper added that the suspect also has a history of knife violence.

More from the Post:

In July 2020, Cruz was caught waving an open box cutter at another person in Midtown West and shouting, “I’m going to cut him,” sources said. Cruz was ordered to get on the ground but refused.

Cruz was ordered to get on the ground, but refused. She was then pulled away by officers and busted for resisting arrest.

Just two weeks later, Cruz was arrested again for a 4:30 a.m. tag-team robbery — she and another individual used knives to steal a man’s phone and wallet after the victim invited the pair to “hang out.”

During Thursday's fatal stabbing of Hodges, New York City police said he and Cruz seemingly argued over who ordered first at the deli before the dispute turned physical.

Hodges, 36, of the Bronx, was working his postal route when he went to get lunch at Joe’s Grocery around 2:30 p.m., police told WPIX-TV.

As Hodges was waiting to pay, an argument ensued over who was next in line, police told WPIX, adding that Cruz is accused of stabbing Hodges seven times. WABC said police found Hodges stabbed or slashed multiple times — including in the torso, arms, back, and neck — inside the establishment. Hodges was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WABC said, adding that a weapon has been recovered.

Investigators told WPIX a witness identified the suspect near the scene of the crime. Cruz was was charged with second-degree murder, police told WPIX.

An initial story from the Post, citing sources, said "the knife-wielding suspect went crazy and gutted the victim in the stomach after he stepped in front of her in line, leaving his blood smeared all over the floors and glass door."

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service told WPIX in a separate story that Hodges was a letter carrier and was on duty. WPIX said his postal cart was seen outside the deli.

A friend of the person of interest told WABC that it's not in her friend's character to attack another person without a reason: "She's a nice young lady. She is not the type that just come out in the street and attacking people. This is just a bad neighborhood. What had happened, I have no idea because I was not around yet. I don't know. But I do know if she said it was in self defense, it was in self defense."

Postal worker Kathy Singleton told WABC that Hodges "was a nice young man."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Female, 24, accused of fatally stabbing on-duty US postal worker; pair seemingly argued over who ordered first in Harlem deli



A 24-year-old female is accused of fatally stabbing an on-duty United States postal worker in a Harlem deli on Thursday afternoon, WABC-TV reported. New York City police said the pair seemingly argued over who ordered first before the dispute turned physical.

Jaia Cruz of Harlem was charged with second-degree murder, police told WPIX-TV.

'She's a nice young lady. She is not the type that just come out in the street and attacking people.'

Ray Hodges, 36, of the Bronx, was working his postal route when he went to get lunch at Joe’s Grocery at 168 Lenox Ave. around 2:30 p.m., police told WPIX.

As he was waiting to pay, an argument ensued over who was next in line, police told WPIX, adding that Cruz is accused of stabbing Hodges seven times.

WABC said police found Hodges stabbed or slashed multiple times — including in the torso, arms, back, and neck — inside the establishment.

Hodges was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, WABC said, adding that a weapon has been recovered.

Investigators told WPIX a witness identified the suspect near the scene of the crime.

The New York Post, citing sources, said "the knife-wielding suspect went crazy and gutted the victim in the stomach after he stepped in front of her in line, leaving his blood smeared all over the floors and glass door."

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service told WPIX in a separate story that Hodges was a letter carrier and was on duty. WPIX said his postal cart was seen outside the deli.

A friend of the person of interest told WABC that it's not in her friend's character to attack another person without a reason and that she wouldn't have hurt someone unless provoked.

"She's a nice young lady," the friend told WABC. "She is not the type that just come out in the street and attacking people. This is just a bad neighborhood. What had happened, I have no idea because I was not around yet. I don't know. But I do know if she said it was in self defense, it was in self defense."

Postal worker Kathy Singleton told WABC that Hodges "was a nice young man."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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:

'I'm gonna kill you': Unhinged man tosses Molotov cocktail into Brooklyn deli; Good Samaritan knocks 2nd cocktail from his hand, preventing greater damage



Surveillance videos captured the moment a man tossed a Molotov cocktail into the NR Rock Deli in Brooklyn on Saturday morning, immediately igniting the store's interior and sending employees running from the flames, the New York Post reported.

Shocking video shows Molotov cocktail attack yesterday on a deli at 496 Nostrand Ave Brooklyn. Property damage but… https://t.co/rnDxAQMiPG

— Tony Aiello (@AielloTV) 1635710984.0

What are the details?

New York City Fire Department and law enforcement sources told the paper the suspect got into an argument with store staff before carrying out the attack.

Video shows the suspect lighting the Molotov cocktail outside the Bedford-Stuyvesant store and tossing it inside.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @AielloTV

A second video camera inside the bodega shows the cocktail igniting near the deli display case and covering an entire side of the store with flames.

The explosion sent one employee running through the fire and stumbling to the floor with his shoe in flames before making it outside; a second employee also ran outside to safety.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @AielloTV

Video outside the store also shows the suspect attempting to toss a second Molotov cocktail into the deli before a Good Samaritan knocks the incendiary device from his hand, after which the cocktail explodes on the sidewalk in front of the store.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @AielloTV

'I'm gonna kill you'

Mohamed Abdulla was working behind the counter in his father's store when the attack took place, WCBS-TV reported.

"He was threatening, 'I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna burn the store. I'm going to burn the building down,'" Abdulla told the station regarding the suspect's alleged words prior to the attack.

Image source: WCBS-TV video screenshot

He told WCBS the first Molotov cocktail explosion "was so fast, you wouldn't believe it. I was there working in the deli and had customers. Out of nowhere I had glass and fire in my face."

Abdulla suffered burns to his arms, the station said.

Image source: WCBS-TV video screenshot

He's also thankful for the quick thinking of the man who stopped a second cocktail from being thrown into the deli, the station said: "If the second one would have came here, the whole building would have been on fire."

What happened after the attack?

Video shows the suspect running away after the Good Samaritan knocked the second Molotov cocktail from his hand.

Abdulla said he chased the suspect two blocks to a train station and held him until authorities arrived, WCBS reported.

FDNY fire marshals arrested Joel Mangal, 38, and charged him with arson, assault, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal mischief, the department told the Daily News.

Police told WCBS the suspect slashed Abdulla in the hand while Abdulla was holding him, which triggered the weapon charge.

https://t.co/5XE8pKITrz

— The Bronx Daily.™ | Bronx.com (@The_Bronx_Daily) 1635711900.0

"Fortunately, there was no loss of life here. The investigative work from the Explosives and Arson Task Force comprised of our Fire Marshals, the NYPD, and ATF, led to the timely arrest of this suspect who threatened the safety of our communities by using such a cruel and destructive device," FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro told WPIX-TV. "FDNY will continue to work alongside local, state and federal partners to bring to justice those who use fire as a weapon against New Yorkers."