Far Rockaway Bodega Clerk Fighting For Life After Price Dispute Leads To Assault
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Beaten over 25-cents. A bodega worker in Far Rockaway was fighting for his life Thursday, after sources said he got into an argument with a man over the cost of beer.
As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, 57-year-old Abdul Almilaki was found in the back of his apartment building with a severe head injury around 3:30 Wednesday morning.
He works at the Rohan Deli where a man apparently only had $3 to buy a beer that cost $3.25.
The customer then allegedly threatened to beat up Almilaki after he wouldn't sell the beer to him.
The victim's cousin thinks he was followed home.
Longtime customers of the deli were upset after hearing about what happened.
"He knew me practically the whole 38 years I've been here," one customer said.
"He's like a grandfather," another added.
A CBS2 news team showed the suspect's picture around the deli, but nobody recognized him
Almilaki sustained a fractured skull and was taken to St. John's Hospital in critical condition.