On a Tuesday evening in Brooklyn, a young Yemeni-American man named Fadhl Moosa was working behind the counter of his family's store, the Flatbush Deli. At 20 years old, Moosa was a hardworking individual helping out while his father was away in Yemen. The night of December 14, 2021, however, took a tragic turn when a man entered the deli at 803 Flatbush Avenue with the intent to rob it.
The assailant, wearing a mask, brandished a firearm and demanded money from the cash register.
Moosa refused to comply, leading to a physical struggle with the robber. The confrontation ended in a moment of shocking violence as the perpetrator shot Moosa in the head. After the shooting, the suspect fled, but quickly returned to the store, stepping over Moosa's body to take money from the register before fleeing again. Officers from the 70th Precinct arrived to find Moosa unconscious behind the counter; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect, identified as Ricardo Senatus, was a regular at the deli and was known to Moosa. In a tragic irony, Moosa had reportedly given Senatus a free sandwich earlier on the very day he was killed. Following an investigation, police apprehended Senatus in Newark, New Jersey, on December 20, 2021.
Ricardo Senatus, a resident of Brooklyn, was charged with murder, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon. His arrest brought a measure of relief to a community shaken by the senseless killing. The case proceeded through the justice system, and on June 24, 2025, Senatus pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez described the crime as a 'cold-blooded and senseless execution of a young man who was simply doing his job.' The tragic death of Fadhl Moosa resonated deeply within the community, highlighting the dangers faced by bodega workers and sparking calls for greater protection. Hundreds of mourners, including public officials, attended his funeral to pay their respects to the young man whose life was so violently cut short.
