By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2022
A New York City bodega clerk was arrested for stabbing a man in self-defense. Sixty-one-year-old Jose Alba was arrested and charged with second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon for the self-defense stabbing death of ex-con Austin Simon on July 1st inside the bodega where Alba worked. Video recovered from the store, located at 3422 Broadway in Hamilton Heights, shows Alba being harassed by a female customer, later identified as Simon’s girlfriend Tina Lee, who was attempting to purchase $10 worth of potato chips for her daughter. Alba allegedly took the chips away from the girl when Lee’s EBT card was declined. Lee started to berate Alba, left the bodega, and then returned with Simon for backup. Simon entered the store wearing a $350 designer t-shirt and is seen shoving Alba, pushing him from behind the counter. During the altercation, the girlfriend pulled a knife and stabbed Alba in the hand!
Alba then took a box-cutter from behind the counter and stabbed Simon in self-defense. N.Y. District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a politician with armed security, decided to charge Alba, requesting a $500,000 bond. The case judge reduced the bond to $250,000, which was later reduced to $50,000. The decision to charge Alba angered a bipartisan group of NYC politicians who note Bragg is rewarding the guilty and punishing the innocent. Even liberal mayor Eric Adams stated, “My heart goes out for this hard-working man, honest New Yorker that was doing his job in his place of business.”
Outrage over Alba being charged continues to grow. Alba immigrated to the U.S. 30 years ago, became a citizen, and has worked ever since. Perhaps Bragg should charge Tina Lee for stabbing Alba, instead of conducting a witch-hunt that makes we the people afraid to defend ourselves against criminals who district attorneys like Bragg set free!
We’ll keep Gunpowder readers updated on this case, as well as other 2A News.
That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected]