New York, US: A tight-knit Brooklyn community is reeling after a beloved deli worker was fatally attacked by a man described by witnesses as “hell-bent” on violence, ignoring his own mother’s desperate screams to stop.
The shocking incident unfolded just after 3 p.m. on Friday at the NY Deli & Mini Market Corp., located at the busy corner of Hegeman and Van Siclen avenues in East New York. The chaotic scene has left longtime patrons, coworkers, and neighbors mourning the senseless loss of 31-year-old Diego Sandoval Nava—a respected father of three known for his generosity and warmth.
A Day Like Any Other Turns Deadly
It began as an ordinary afternoon with regular customers streaming into the popular corner store. Eyewitnesses say the suspect, reportedly an unemployed area resident with two children, got into a heated argument with Nava, though what set off the confrontation remains unclear.
Ivor Dowridge, a union worker and regular customer, was in the store at the height of the commotion. He recalled the terrifying moment three employees wrestled to keep the enraged attacker at bay. “He was hell-bent on going after the guy,” Dowridge said. “The victim looked scared. I saw his face—I saw it in his eyes.”
After leaving the shop, the man returned in a frenzied state, now armed with a knife. As he surged toward Nava, his mother—standing helplessly outside—cried out, pleading, “What the f—k are you doing? What the hell are you doing?” Her shouts went unheeded as the violence escalated.
A Community Favorite Lost
The attack ended with Nava, the hard-working deli worker and father of three (including a newborn), severely wounded. Swiftly transported to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, Nava was pronounced dead soon after. The suspect fled and, as of Monday, remained at large, with NYPD detectives continuing their search.
Across the community, Nava’s death has left a mark. Locals described him as humble, quiet, and kind. “Once you became a regular, he knew what you wanted and you didn’t have to tell him,” said a nearby worker, who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s heartbreaking. I bought a candle to put outside the store in his memory.”
Growing Concerns for Worker Safety
The tragedy has drawn renewed attention to the safety risks faced by New York City’s bodega and deli workers. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, speaking at the deli, called working in these small shops “the most dangerous job in the city,” challenging official claims that rising crime rates are just a perception. “If you happen to be behind a bodega counter, you know it ain’t no perception. It’s reality every day,” he said.
For Dowridge, the incident was especially tragic because it seemed preventable. “He just had to walk away and nothing like this would’ve happened. You stabbed somebody, your life is over,” he reflected.
Community in Mourning, Police on the Hunt
As the family grieves, friends and regulars have started to place candles and tributes outside the shuttered deli. Many are left grappling with the devastating ripple effect of a single violent act—a hardworking father gone, a mother’s anguished cries echoing through the neighborhood, and an entire community battling fear and sorrow.
With the suspect still on the run, law enforcement urges anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, heartbroken Brooklynites vow not to forget Diego Sandoval Nava—a man known not just for his sandwiches, but for his quiet dignity and the kindness he showed all who stepped through his shop’s doors.
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