Pickles & Pies is located on Beach 116th Street in Rockaway Park, Queens.
Photo by John Schilling
A verbal dispute escalated into a physical altercation at a Rockaway deli on Sunday, June 11, according to authorities.
Police first responded to the incident at 5:10 a.m. after a 911 call of “an assault in progress” at the 24-hour deli at 202 Beach 116th St., known locally as Pickles & Pies. Upon their arrival, the responding officers found a 31-year-old man “with injuries about the body.”
According to the preliminary investigation at the scene, police determined that the man, who remains unidentified, was a customer who had engaged in a verbal dispute with two store employees.
“As the dispute escalated, the three individuals engaged in a physical altercation,” according to a police spokesperson, who added that it is unclear what the dispute was about at this time.
The two store employees, identified as 23-year-old Jorge Hernandez and 34-year-old Saber Abuhamra, were taken into custody at the scene. According to the NYPD, Hernandez was charged with strangulation, two counts of assault and harassment, while Abuhamra was charged with two counts of assault and harassment.
The victim was transported to Far Rockaway’s St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where he arrived in stable condition. While receiving care at the hospital, however, police say he “suffered a medical episode.” His condition has since been listed as “critical, but stable.”
“Hospital workers will determine if this medical episode is a result of the earlier assault,” a police spokesperson said. “The investigation remains ongoing at this time.”
In the immediate aftermath, rumors spread throughout local Facebook groups and CitizenApp that the 31-year-old man attempted to rob the place with a gun, but police have since confirmed that there were no weapons involved in the altercation.
After being closed and guarded by officers on Sunday, Pickles & Pies reopened later…
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