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Video: Man Tosses Molotov Cocktail At Brooklyn Deli Clerk
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 24, 2014
Modified Apr 24, 2014
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NYPD
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 24, 2014
Modified Apr 24, 2014
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Police are asking the public for help in tracking down the miserable P.O.S. who chucked a molotov cocktail at a Brooklyn bodega clerk early Wednesday morning. According to the NYPD, the suspect "walked into the 24 hour mini-mart and started an argument with the clerk" around 1 a.m. on Wednesday. About an hour later, the suspect returned to the deli, located at 3901 Fort Hamilton Parkway in Borough Park, and escalated the matter:
As you can see at the end of the video, the interior of the deli immediately filled with flames, but fortunately the clerk survived with minor injuries. (Police say his hair and jacket caught on fire.) The clerk, a 34-year-old Pakistani immigrant named Asif Butt, says the dispute started when the drunken suspect demanded credit. "I said I can't give credit because of my boss," Butt tells the Daily News. "(I) no talk back. He talk mean, but he left. I thought that was it." Nope.
(NYPD)
The NYPD describes the suspect as "a male Hispanic 30-40 years of age 5'8" to 5'10" in height, wearing sunglass and a dark hooded sweatshirt." As you can see from the screengrab below, he's a real tough guy.
(NYPD)
For an added splash of sad, Butt tells the News, "I can't believe that this would happen here... I come here to America, I happy, I don't think this would happen same like in Pakistan."
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
Tagged
arson
brooklyn
fire
molotov cocktail
original
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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