NEED TO KNOW
- Two deli workers were allegedly stabbed over a sandwich they made for a customer
- A man allegedly stabbed two employees at Baladna Bakery in Paterson, N.J., on July 31 because he claimed they gave him the wrong order four years ago
- The suspect claimed he had an allergy to the sandwich he was served
Two deli workers were allegedly stabbed over a wrong order — from years ago.
A man allegedly stabbed two employees at Baladna Bakery in Paterson, N.J., on July 31 because he claimed they gave him the wrong order four years ago, NBC New York reported.
The encounter occurred at around 8 a.m. local time, authorities told PIX 11.
The victims, brothers Abed and Mohammad Assad, have owned the bakery for more than a decade, according to NBC New York.
The suspect allegedly confronted a female employee before attacking Assad and Mohammad with a box cutter, the outlet said.
PEOPLE reached out to the Paterson Police Department (PPD) for further information on Sunday, Aug. 3, but did not receive an immediate response.
A friend of the victims, Moneer Simrin, told NBC New York that workers offered the suspect money and a hot dog as compensation for the wrong order, but they were refused.
“He said, ‘She forgot to give me the hot dog.’ Okay, take the hot dog and $3 and just leave. And he’s like, ‘No, because I got a sandwich last time and they gave me some eggplant and I don’t like eggplant.’ He’s just looking for a problem,” the friend told the outlet, recalling the incident.
“They tried to tell him, ‘Just leave, please.’ And he got the knife,” Simrin added.
Mohammad was stabbed in the chest, and Assad was stabbed in the hand and arm, according to NBC New York. The two were transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center, where Assad was treated for cuts and Mohammad was hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect allegedly visited the bakery a few days prior to the July 31 incident and asked for the owners, NBC New York reported. Assad told the outlet that he recognized the customer.
The incident four years ago involved the alleged attacker receiving an eggplant sandwich when he ordered an egg sandwich, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh told PIX 11.
The suspect claimed he had an allergy to eggplant that made him sick, per CBS New York.
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Sayegh said local residents are “concerned” over the incident, according to CBS New York.
“This type of thing does not happen in that area, so I tried to assuage some of the fears, allay their concerns and reassure them that the police department is completely focused on bringing whomever is responsible for this tragic, violent incident to justice,” the mayor said.
NBC New York reported that surveillance video from a nearby company captured the suspect fleeing the bakery on foot.
Police are still searching for the suspect, per PIX 11 and CBS New York.
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