Police said Abdul Saleh was shot outside Sal’s Deli & Grocery after an argument moved into the street.
NEW YORK — A 28-year-old deli worker was fatally shot late Saturday outside Sal’s Deli & Grocery in the East Village after a dispute that began inside the store, police said.
Officers responding shortly after 11:30 p.m. found Abdul Saleh with a gunshot wound to the torso near Avenue B and East 13th Street. A second 28-year-old man also was shot in the torso. Both were taken to Bellevue Hospital, where Saleh was pronounced dead.
The shooting has shaken a corner of Alphabet City where neighbors said Saleh was a familiar and generous presence. Police have not announced an arrest. Investigators were reviewing what happened before the gunfire and whether the second wounded man was directly involved in the dispute.
Witnesses and police accounts described an argument that started inside Sal’s Deli & Grocery and then moved outside. Rex Hughes, a friend of Saleh, said he heard several shots and then saw Saleh wounded on the corner. “What I saw was my friend dying on the corner,” Hughes said.
Saleh’s death brought flowers, candles and photos to the closed storefront Sunday. Friends said he was married, had a daughter and had recently returned from Yemen after visiting family. Several neighbors said Saleh and his relatives were known for helping customers who were short on money.
The United Bodegas of America offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Radahmes Rodriguez, the group’s president, called Saleh “a hardworking family man” and said the killing underscored the risks faced by bodega and deli workers across the city.
Police said the second wounded man was recovering. His name was not released. Detectives continued looking for evidence in the blocks around Avenue B, including witness accounts and any video that may show how the argument turned violent.
As of Monday, no arrest had been announced. The investigation remained active, and police had not released a suspect description.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.