THE BRONX — The avocado-hurling attacker who broke a deli worker's jaw flew into a rage because the victim's coworker didn't speak English well enough, the battered worker revealed.
Amr Alzabidi, 21, said he had only worked at Stadium Gourmet Deli near Yankee Stadium for two days when Brad Gomez, 28, walked in early on the morning of May 29 and came up to the deli counter.
“He was trying to order from the deli guy who doesn’t speak good English,” Alzabidi — whose eye is still blackened from the attack and whose broken jaw required surgery — told reporters Thursday as he left the Bronx's 44th Precinct, where Gomez was brought after being arrested.
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Alzabidi said he offered to take the order and translate for his coworker, but that only further agitated Gomez.
“[Gomez] came behind the counter, and I grabbed the phone. I was trying to call 911,” he added.
Alzabidi told Gomez to leave the store, and he did, but later returned with another man who joined him in brutally chucking avocados and bananas at the clerk.
Gomez threw one of the avocados at point-blank range, hittiing Alzabidi in the face and breaking his jaw. He was treated for his injuries earlier this month at Lincoln Medical Center and underwent surgery, but said the pain is still excruciating.
“No more surgeries, but I have follow-ups,” Alzabidi said. “I’m on a lot of pain medications.”
Brad Gomez at the 44th Precinct after his arrest (DNAinfo/Teddy Grant)
Gomez was arrested Thursday night and arraigned on charges of felony assault, misdemeanor assault, menacing and harassment, according to court records. Information on his lawyer was not immediately available.
Alzabidi said he has no plans to return to work after the terrifying attack, though he and his coworkers are happy Gomez was taken into custody.
“We hope they punish him,” said Samuel Ishak, another deli worker who was not there at the time of the attack. “What he did is not good, it’s not fair.”
