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Queens Ex-Con Allegedly Shot Man To Death During Napkins Dispute
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 7, 2014
Modified Aug 7, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 7, 2014
Modified Aug 7, 2014
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A Queens man has been accused of killing a man after the two got into a bar argument over napkins. Police say the incident was sparked when Fruitquana Hawkins, 33, reached over for a napkin from victim Timothy Tripp's table at the Edge Bar and Lounge in Jamaica, Queens around 2:30 a.m. on June 14th. Tripp, 35, picked up a wad of napkins and threw them at Hawkins in response: "He said something to the effect of 'Get your own napkins,'" a source told the News.
Hawkins then allegedly pulled out a gun and started firing, fatally striking Tripp in the head and chest. Hawkins, who had three prior arrests, had just been let out of prison about a month before the shooting; cops eventually caught up to him after he fled to Georgia, and was brought back to NYC yesterday to face charges.
Tripp owned a clothing store in Queens and was a youth football coach; he is survived by an 11-year-old daughter. Hawkins been charged with murder, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment.
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Fruitquana Hawkins
murder
napkins
queens
Timothy Tripp
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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