The man accused of plowing into two immigrants from a Brooklyn shelter with his car told Gothamist that he’s an immigrant himself who was trying to confront someone who stole food from his restaurant.
Hamzeh Alwawi, 42, who is originally from Jordan, spoke to Gothamist this week after making $30,000 bond to secure his release from Rikers Island after being charged with attempted murder, among other charges.
Because of those charges, and due to a little-known provision in the law for immigrant victims of crimes, Alwawi’s fortunes in his adopted home may be at an end — while those he’s accused of attacking may be getting a leg up on the American dream.
“I am not a criminal guy…when I go to the cops, I told them I’m dreaming, what’s going on with me?” he said.
Alwawi owns BurgerIM, a Halal burger joint on the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Steuben Street in Clinton Hill. He said meals have been swiped several times in the past by men posing as delivery cyclists, and this time, he’d had enough.
Around 3 a.m. Sunday, he tracked that night’s supposed meal thief to the migrant shelter a few blocks away, on Hall Street.
Police said he then got into an altercation with a group of men in front of the shelter, got into his car and drove into two of them. He was later arrested at his restaurant and charged with attempted murder, assault, menacing and harassment.
Alwawi’s version of events differs from that of witnesses, police and prosecutors who filed the criminal complaint, as well as the two victims. Alwawi’s lawyer did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
But Alwawi himself was eager to tell Gothamist his side of the story.
He denied hitting anyone with his car, and said “it is not normal” that he’s accused of attempted murder and other charges after the alleged attack. Alwawi claims a group of migrants surrounded his 2021 Lexus after he showed up in front of the shelter demanding the food be returned — and that he was trying to protect…
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