NEW YORK (AP) — A man has been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of a New York City restaurant delivery man after shopkeepers reported a spate of harassment incidents that began with complaints about condiments.
Glenn Hirsch, 51, who was arrested on murder and weapons charges in Yan Zhiwen’s death, is awaiting an arraignment on June 2.
Restaurant takeaway Yan Zhiwen
“Zhiwen Yan was a beloved member of his Queens community, and his tragic murder in April is heartbreaking,” Police Chief Keechant Sewell tweeted.
It is unclear whether Hirsch has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. The person who answered the phone at the Queens home declined to comment and hung up.
Yan was shot and killed on a street in Queens on April 30 while he was riding a motorcycle for a delivery. The 45-year-old has worked at the Chinese restaurant Great Wall for more than a decade.
Owner Yang Kai told reporters at the time that he had met a customer since November last year when the customer’s request for a refund was unsuccessful because he said he didn’t get enough duck sauce when he placed an order – although the sweet and sour condiments were free and self-service.
Young said he told police in January that the customer cut his tire and pointed a gun at him.
Another restaurant worker, Sooi Chung, told the New York Post that customers would sometimes wait outside the restaurant to tell Yang and staff, “‘I remember you. I remember you.'”
Neighbors and relatives said Yan, a married father of three, was a hard worker and friendly to everyone.
