In the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx, a community was shaken by the sudden and violent death of 34-year-old Yehya Almontaser. On the evening of February 14, 2020, Almontaser was working at the B&A Gourmet Deli, located at the corner of East 137th Street and Brook Avenue. At approximately 6:30 p.m., a man entered the deli and, without speaking a word, opened fire. Almontaser was struck in the face and body.
He was rushed to Lincoln Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The New York Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the homicide. Surveillance footage from the area captured images of a person of interest. The individual was described as a man, at least 5'5' tall, wearing a blue reflective jacket with a fur collar and walking with the assistance of a cane. In the days following the shooting, the Yemeni American Merchant's Association offered a $10,000 reward for any information that would lead to the arrest of the person responsible for Almontaser's death. The community mourned the loss of the friendly and well-liked deli worker, who had recently become a U.S. citizen. A makeshift memorial of candles and red roses appeared outside the deli as a tribute to a life cut short.
The investigation progressed, and an arrest was made in connection with the murder. The suspect was identified publicly in news reports. Police took a man into custody, and he was subsequently charged for his alleged role in the fatal shooting. The motive for the attack was initially unclear, with police investigating the possibility of a dispute between the victim and the assailant. The arrest brought a measure of relief to a neighborhood on edge, as the judicial process began to unfold. Further details regarding the progression of the case through the court system, including any trial and conviction, have not been made widely public in the immediate aftermath.
