Abdul Saleh’s death renewed concern among bodega groups after police said no arrest had been made.
NEW YORK — Candles and flowers lined the shuttered gate of an East Village deli Monday after police said a worker was killed during a late-night shooting outside the family business.
Abdul Saleh, 28, was shot in the torso Saturday night outside Sal’s Deli & Grocery at Avenue B and East 13th Street. Police said another 28-year-old man also was shot and survived. The gunfire followed a dispute that began inside the store and spilled into the street.
The killing turned a neighborhood deli into a memorial site. Friends and customers stopped at the corner Sunday to leave flowers and remember Saleh as a steady part of daily life in Alphabet City. Tanya Minto, a friend, said Saleh was “always smiling” and called him a pillar of the community.
Police said officers were called to the scene shortly after 11:30 p.m. Both wounded men were taken by emergency medical workers to Bellevue Hospital. Saleh was pronounced dead there. The other man was listed as recovering, and officials did not release his name.
Neighbors said Saleh had recently returned from a trip to Yemen and had gone back to work at the deli. Some said he and his relatives often helped regular customers with food or credit. The storefront remained closed Sunday as mourners gathered near the corner.
The United Bodegas of America announced a $5,000 reward tied to information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Fernando Mateo, a spokesman for the group, said the organization would keep pushing for stronger protections for workers in small neighborhood stores.
The case comes as bodega owners and worker advocates have raised repeated alarms about violence in small stores. Police have not said whether Saleh was targeted or whether the gunfire came from one weapon. Those details remained part of the investigation Monday.
No arrest had been announced by Monday afternoon. Detectives continued to seek witnesses and evidence from the area around Sal’s Deli & Grocery.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.