Video surveillance camera shows the suspected killer (left) of Ishak Ghali (right).
Egyptian immigrant Ishak Ghali came to the U.S. seven years ago in an attempt to escape the escalating violence in his native land.
Relatives and friends said the 26-year-old worked seven days per week, often logging shifts in excess of 12 and 13 hours at the All Friends Convenience Store at 674 Onderdonk Avenue in Ridgewood. He had lived above the bodega, in a third-floor apartment, for about three years.
But, in a cruel twist of irony, the violence Ghali sought to escape in Egypt would only find him in Ridgewood, Queens. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said during a press conference back in December that Ghali had been shot once in the head and killed sometime around 6pm on December 20th, during an apparent robbery of the store.
Kelly said that two men wearing hoodies were seen leaving the bodega and running towards Gates Avenue. He said responding officers found the cash register open and empty. “The individual was apparently a very hard-working young man,” Kelly said. “It’s a very sad story.”
Fernando Mateo, spokesman for the Bodega Association of America, said he’d like to see bullet-proof partitions in bodegas and warning systems to let police know when something is happening. Mateo told the NY Post, “Killing a bodega worker for pennies is senseless.”
On the Facebook page of Ghali’s cousin, Agype Messi, a picture of Ghali is posted with the letters RIP across the top.
Also, messages in English and Arabic, say “Miss you,” and “Best friend ever.”
Relatives said that prior to his death, Ghali had been looking forward to returning to Egypt to visit and possibly wed through an arranged marriage.
“He was supposed to go back there [Egypt] in late January,” said the clerk at the All Friends Grocery.
Several neighbors who live nearby the bodega recalled Ghali as being quiet and nice and someone “who kept to himself.”
Christian, 22, said he went to the store weekly to buy juices and seeds. “I didn’t really know him but he was a nice guy,” he said. One young woman, who didn’t want to give her name, said she would be given credit frequently. “If I didn’t have money, the guy [Ishak] would tell me to pay him tomorrow. He was very nice and he never bothered nobody around here.”
The store, neighbors said, was closed for about a week after the shooting.
Police are offering a $12,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Ghali’s death.
In addition, police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a person seen running from the area of the homicide. Wanted for questioning is a light skin male, last seen wearing a dark knit hat, blue jeans and white sneakers.
Anyone with information in regards to this homicide or the identity of the male is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577I-TIPS.
The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.
By Alan Krawitz
