A Staten Island man accused of fatally stabbing a deli employee for refusing to promote him a free cigarette at a reduction has been arrested after seven months on the lam, cops stated.
Christian Diaz, 25, was nabbed Tuesday and charged with second-degree homicide within the mindless Oct. 19 slaying of Ahmed Almulaiki in East Harlem, in line with a prison grievance.
The unhinged buyer obtained right into a combat with deli staff as a result of he was quick 50 cents for the “loosie” they usually wouldn’t give him retailer credit score, police stated.
He allegedly flew right into a rage, stabbing Almulaiki twice with a knife — earlier than taking off for Pennsylvania after which Florida, in line with prosecutors.
The suspect then returned to Staten Island, the place cops caught up with him after three of his highschool buddies referred to as in tips on him, the NYPD stated.
Main as much as the stabbing, Diaz had “positioned his hand on his waistband” saying “I might kill you” to staff contained in the Ok&B Gourmand on Second Avenue close to East 102nd Road at round 11:35 p.m., the grievance alleges.
The incident was caught on surveillance video displaying Diaz pulling out a knife and thrusting it on the sufferer and one other deli staffer, as they adopted him holding a bat and a golf membership, in line with the courtroom doc.
“The video then reveals the defendant stab Mr. Almulaiki in his arm and torso,” the grievance states.
The suspect allegedly “fled the scene of the crime and fled to Pennsylvania and later to Florida and was solely situated seven months later,” Manhattan Assistant District Legal professional Meral Kerim stated Diaz’s arraignment Wednesday.
The prosecutor requested for Diaz to be held with out bail – which Decide Nestor Diaz granted.
Diaz’s lawyer Jessica Horani requested for bail and for digital monitoring, referencing the prison grievance’s point out that the 2 deli staff – together with Almulaiki – had come out with a bat and a golf membership earlier than her consumer allegedly pulled out the knife.
Horani stated she wasn’t “admitting or affirming something that my consumer might or might not have completed.”
However, “from their very own costs, they've two people who're armed with what could possibly be thought-about lethal weapons,” Horani stated, “and that's very important for the courtroom to take into accounts as effectively.”
Outdoors Manhattan Legal Court docket after the listening to, somebody who recognized himself solely as Almulaiki’s cousin stated, “All we wish is justice.”
“We referred to as the police time and again. It took them a very long time to return in,” the person stated.
“The man was banging on the door, he was breaking the glass, he was making issues,” he added, referring to the suspect.
“[Almulaiki] went outdoors, he didn’t know what to anticipate. After all, they armed themselves,” the cousin added.
Cops had been in a position to monitor Diaz down after three mates from the Queens vocational highschool he attended referred to as in tips on him, NYPD Detective John Russo stated.
One of many mates stated that Diaz had “requested for assist getting out of city,” and turned over a photograph of the Diaz, who had facial hair on the time of the incident, with a clean-shaven face – “clearly in an try and elude police,” Russo stated.
Cops had been additionally in a position to establish the person in surveillance video of the stabbing incident as Diaz after he had been caught on a physique worn digital camera of a police officer throughout a site visitors cease for allegedly going 70mph in a 40mph zone,” Russo ai.
“It is a man, hardworking man, working in a bodega making an attempt to make a residing for himself and his household, and simply making an attempt to guard the enterprise,” Russo stated. “He doesn’t even have an possession stake and goes outdoors to forestall the glass from being damaged and will get stabbed up.”
Diaz – who's due again in courtroom on Could 23 – faces 25 years to life in jail if convicted.
Further reporting by Amanda Woods
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