Courtesy Dean Moses Twitter
Osvel Diaz, 29, of Forest Hills, Queens, faces attempted murder and assault charges for allegedly brutally beating 62-year-old Abdul Alshawish unconscious at a Woodside deli, as announced by Queens authorities on June 24.
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
A Forest Hills man has been charged with attempted murder and assault for allegedly brutally beating a deli worker unconscious in Woodside, Queens, authorities announced on June 24.
Osvel Diaz, 29, was arraigned on June 23 on charges stemming from the June 17 attack on 62-year-old Abdul Alshawish at the Sunnyside Mini Mart, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
“The defendant is alleged to have brutally beaten a defenseless store employee until he was unconscious and then went on to repeatedly kick the motionless victim in the head,” Katz said in a statement. “Business owners and their workers should never have to fear that they will be the targets of violence. We will do everything we can to protect shopkeepers because when our local businesses thrive, our communities thrive.”
According to prosecutors, surveillance video captured Diaz punching and kicking Alshawish multiple times, causing him to lose consciousness. Diaz then allegedly continued kicking the victim in the head while he lay on the deli floor.
Alshawish suffered severe injuries, including a brain hemorrhage, facial fractures, a mid-face separation, and fractures to his eye socket, nose, and sinuses. He remains hospitalized.
Diaz, who was arrested at his home, faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder and assault charges.
In addition to the June 17 incident, Diaz also faces separate charges related to vandalism. According to prosecutors, he was seen on surveillance video on two occasions earlier this year spraying graffiti on buildings in Maspeth and Woodside.
Assistant District Attorney Thomas Salmon is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Michael Whitney, Roni Piplani, and Shawn Clark.
Diaz was remanded following his arraignment and appeared in court again on July 2. He has not entered a plea, and under New York law, criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
