A Hispanic Harlem fishmonger who was injured during a deadly altercation over shrimp at a Manhattan fish market said the violent act could have been prevented.
“I saw what he was doing, he was stealing. If he wasn’t stealing, nothing would have happened,” the injured worker, Francisco Morales, explained to the New York Post about the man accused of trying to rob the store.
The 38-year-old Hispanic man was injured in a fight Tuesday at the Fish Express Fish Mart, when Robert “Bobby” Burell and his brother, Malik, apparently went in to steal shrimp and began assaulting him.
Another Hispanic employee, identified as Junior Hernandez, intervened in the robbery and ultimately stabbed the Burrell brothers, killing 25-year-old Malik, authorities said.
Initially, Hernandez was charged with murder, but the charges were immediately reduced to assault.
Bobby Burrell, 29, who was injured when Hernandez helped Morales, was charged with robbery and was arraigned in his bed at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan on Friday. He was released shortly after, his father informed the New York media.
“I want him to go to jail. He came to fight,” Morales settled.
Manhattan prosecutors requested that Burrell be released on his own recognizance when he is released from the hospital.
Meanwhile, Hernández made his remorse for the fatal encounter known.
“I feel bad about the case because that guy also has a family. I feel good with my family, but I still feel depressed because someone passed away. I’m not proud of what I did, 100%. I think about that all the time,” he expressed.
For her part, Hernández’s wife said the following: “There is still a dark cloud over our heads,” and she will not rest until her husband is completely clean.
“I want the rest of the charges dropped. It was in self defense and I hope they [la oficina del Fiscal del Distrito] see it that way too,” explained Estephanie Reyes. “Nobody should have to go through that while they’re at work where they should feel safe.”
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