QUEENS — A group of people stabbed and beat two Taco Bell workers who told them not to sit on the fast-food joint's counters, NYPD officials said Thursday.
The suspects, who are in their mid-20s, had hopped onto the counters of the restaurant at 97-01 Atlantic Ave., near 97th Street in Woodhaven, when two workers told them to get down, police said.
The group stabbed the 22-year-old man twice in the torso, police said. He was treated for serious injuries at Jamaica Hospital, police said.
They also beat his co-worker in the 9:45 p.m Oct. 16 incident, leaving the 21-year-old man with bruises to his face and body, police said.
The group fled after the attack in a black SUV taxi that dropped them off near Jamaica Avenue and 132nd Street, police said.
Investigators caught one suspect, 25-year-old Erikson Cepeda, 10 days after the attack, police said.
Cepeda, of Richmond Hill, was charged with gang assault and assault, police said. He hadn't been arraigned as of Thursday morning, records show.
Cepeda has been arrested 11 times before, most recently on Aug. 18 for petit larceny and drug possession, an NYPD spokesman said.
The other four hadn't been arrested as of Thursday morning, police said. It is unclear why details weren't released by police until a month after the attack.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).
