A 34-year-old deli worker was arrested in New York City's posh Gramercy neighborhood after allegedly throwing a knife at an intruder who had been threatening him and refusing to leave the store. The employee, Mahmoud Bourada, claimed he was simply trying to protect his business, which is owned by Ahmed Saleh, a 24-year-old immigrant from Yemen.
According to police and law enforcement sources, Bourada threw the knife at the intruder, but it only grazed him on his left hand. However, the intruder refused medical attention, which led to Bourada's arrest. He was charged with first-degree attempted assault and second-degree assault.
Saleh described Bourada as a "good man" who was trying to protect his business, which is struggling due to the increasing crime in the area. Saleh said that the neighborhood has become too violent, with thieves constantly stealing from the store and demanding free stuff from customers. He believes that the city's policies have made it difficult for businesses like his to operate successfully.
The deli owner also expressed concern about the impact of the incident on Bourada's life, who was cut loose by the business due to the incident. Saleh said that he had hired Bourada six months ago, and despite the challenges the employee faced, he believed he could still provide for his family.
The arrest has raised questions about the city's response to the growing crime problem in affluent neighborhoods like Gramercy. While the police have taken steps to increase patrols in the area, many residents and business owners are frustrated with the lack of progress.
In a surprising twist, one of Bourada's colleagues quit their job just hours after the incident, citing concerns about the safety of the neighborhood. The employee claimed that the crime problem was getting worse, and they were no longer willing to work in an environment that felt so vulnerable.
The city officials have promised to address the growing concern, but for many business owners like Saleh, it may be too little, too late. As he said, "This area was beautiful, [now] they're always screaming outside... It's like we work for them."
According to police and law enforcement sources, Bourada threw the knife at the intruder, but it only grazed him on his left hand. However, the intruder refused medical attention, which led to Bourada's arrest. He was charged with first-degree attempted assault and second-degree assault.
Saleh described Bourada as a "good man" who was trying to protect his business, which is struggling due to the increasing crime in the area. Saleh said that the neighborhood has become too violent, with thieves constantly stealing from the store and demanding free stuff from customers. He believes that the city's policies have made it difficult for businesses like his to operate successfully.
The deli owner also expressed concern about the impact of the incident on Bourada's life, who was cut loose by the business due to the incident. Saleh said that he had hired Bourada six months ago, and despite the challenges the employee faced, he believed he could still provide for his family.
The arrest has raised questions about the city's response to the growing crime problem in affluent neighborhoods like Gramercy. While the police have taken steps to increase patrols in the area, many residents and business owners are frustrated with the lack of progress.
In a surprising twist, one of Bourada's colleagues quit their job just hours after the incident, citing concerns about the safety of the neighborhood. The employee claimed that the crime problem was getting worse, and they were no longer willing to work in an environment that felt so vulnerable.
The city officials have promised to address the growing concern, but for many business owners like Saleh, it may be too little, too late. As he said, "This area was beautiful, [now] they're always screaming outside... It's like we work for them."
this is getting crazy in NYC, a guy just wants to protect his shop and get arrested? 
i feel bad for him, but at the same time, i can see why the cops had to step in. it's not right that someone's threatening him and refusing to leave... 
i hope mahmoud gets a chance to clear his name and show what really happened that day. 
and poor ahmed, losing an employee like that just hours after the incident? 
. I've seen this happen before, where people get caught up in the system and lose everything they worked for.
. The poor guy was trying to make a living and provide for his family, but now he's just a statistic in the city's crime problem 
. I feel so sorry for him. The city should be doing more to help these business owners and employees who are just trying to survive 
. It's like they're working hard and then getting taken away by the system 
.
this story is making me so mad! 
a 34-year-old guy gets arrested for trying to protect his business from some psycho who was threatening him, and now he's gonna lose his job? 
The city's policies are just piling it on and making businesses in these fancy neighborhoods impossible. It's just one big problem after another. 
But on the other hand, throwing a knife at someone doesn't exactly sound like the best way to deal with the situation... 
It's not just Bourada who's struggling - it sounds like his whole community is feeling the strain. 
I get why Saleh is frustrated, but do you think there are other ways he could've handled the situation without involving the authorities? 
I feel bad for them too... they were already struggling with the safety concerns. It's just not fair that Bourada got cut loose from his own business because of a misunderstanding 
. Maybe there are some creative solutions out there...
. I feel bad for him and his family. Maybe now the city will actually do something to help these businesses 
. It's not just Bourada who could've gotten hurt, it was anyone walking by that store. And what really gets me is that Saleh's business has been struggling because of the increasing crime in the area? That's just a vicious cycle 
Either way, I think this whole situation highlights how tough it is for small business owners to make ends meet in a city that's supposed to be supporting them 
.
. And what about Ahmed Saleh, man? He's just tryna keep his business goin', but it's like the whole city is against him 
. This guy's life got ruined over a stupid knife fight 
Like, what's the point of having a neighborhood watch if someone's just gonna break the law and then expect everyone else to suffer? 
. And now he's paying the price with an arrest charge. It's like, what's the city gonna do about all these violent incidents in Gramercy?