A woman has been charged after a USPS worker was stabbed and killed while working inside a deli in Harlem on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Police have charged Jaia Cruz, 24, of Harlem with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the death of Ray Hodge III, 36.
Officers arrived at the deli at 168 Lenox Avenue at 2:30 p.m. and discovered Hodge stabbed or slashed many times inside, including in the body, arms, back, and neck.
They brought him to NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, where they pronounced him dead.
According to police, the attack appeared to be the result of a quarrel between two customers over who ordered first, which escalated into a physical confrontation.
A weapon has been recovered.
“I know the guys who deliver mail,” said homeowner Uzo Guchiaschi. “And now he’s gone. It’s quite scary. It’s quite scary.”
Eyewitness News spoke with a friend of the person of interest, who claimed she had no idea what or why this happened, but it was not in her friend’s character to attack someone without a reason. She claimed her pal would not have hurt anyone unless provoked.
“She is a nice young lady.” Her friend said she doesn’t attack people in the street. “This is simply a poor neighborhood. I wasn’t present, so I’m not sure what happened. I’m not sure, but I know that if she said it was in self-defense, it was.
Meanwhile, a group of sad postal workers came on the scene, serious and visibly shaken, unsure how to cope with what had happened to their colleague.
“I’m just going to say he was a good young man.” That’s all,” remarked postal worker Kathy Singleton.
They claim he went into the deli to get a sandwich when the altercation began.
Deli employees gave a similar description, telling Eyewitness News that the argument was about a sandwich and who ordered first.
The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) confirmed that the postal worker was assigned to Manhattan and was the victim of a homicide.
“The United States Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety and well-being of postal employees.” We are working closely with the New York City Police Department on this investigation,” the statement stated.
What weapon attacked and cut the postal worker is unknown.
On Friday, the court arraigned Cruz and held her without bail. The court has scheduled her next date for January 8.