A 35-year-old Jordanian immigrant, Bassam Khateeb, was fatally shot on a Saturday evening in July 2023 during what authorities believe was a botched robbery attempt at his Staten Island deli. The incident occurred at the Manor Deli and Convenience on Manor Road in the Castleton Corners section of the borough. Two masked men entered the establishment shortly before 8 p.m. Khateeb, a married father of two young children, was shot in the chest during the encounter.
He was rushed to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
In the immediate aftermath, the New York Police Department released surveillance footage showing the two suspects. The footage captured the masked individuals entering the deli and later fleeing the scene. They were seen escaping in a red or maroon Jeep Cherokee, which was last spotted heading towards the New Jersey-bound Staten Island Expressway. Investigators also discovered that prior to the fatal shooting, the same suspects had unsuccessfully attempted to gain entry to a smoke shop located on Richmond Avenue. A customer discovered the critically injured Khateeb on the floor of his shop and promptly called 911.
For months, the case remained a high priority for law enforcement as the search for the perpetrators continued. Then, in late September 2023, a significant development occurred when one of the suspects, identified as 21-year-old Yasine Basson, surrendered to the police. Following his surrender, Basson was charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of Bassam Khateeb. Despite this arrest, the investigation remains active as authorities continue their search for the second individual involved in the deadly shooting. The second suspect remains at large, and the police investigation is ongoing.
