‘Justice for Abdul’: Advocates push for protections for bodega workers

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

In the wake of the fatal shooting that has shaken the East Village and the Yemeni American community, business advocates and local leaders held a press conference yesterday calling for accountability and stronger protections for bodega workers.

The gathering follows the killing of Abdulrahman Saleh, aka Abdul Saleh, a 28-year-old father of two, who was shot late Saturday night outside Sal's Deli & Grocery on 13th Street and Avenue B, where he worked at the family-run business.

Speakers at the press conference included Saleh's brother, Hussein Ahmed Saleh (below), along with Yemeni-American community leaders such as Yahya Elisai, Labib Nasher, Amad Zaid and Zaid Nagi, representatives from the Alliance of Yemeni American Businesses (AYAB), and Francisco Marte, president of the Bodega and Small Business Group.

Elected officials and city representatives were also on hand, including local City Councilmember Harvey Epstein and Jagpreet Singh, the city's first deputy commissioner of mass engagement. 

Much of the discussion focused on safety, accountability and justice — including calls for expanded use of panic buttons, improved police response to complaints, and broader protections for bodega workers, who speakers said are essential to their neighborhoods but often lack adequate support. 

As several media outlets noted, ABC 7 featured Saleh in a news report last May, calling for the installation of panic buttons as part of a United Bodegas of America campaign to help address the uptick in violence workers faced. 

Given Saleh's warning last year about the dangers facing bodega workers, organizers said his death cannot become another forgotten headline. 

The Saleh family is also urging the mayor's office and New York's congressional delegation to coordinate with the U.S. State Department to expedite humanitarian travel for his wife and children, who live in Yemen.

AYAB also had other demands:

• Full Prosecution and Family Protection

Those responsible must face the full force of the law. Saleh's family must be protected from threats and intimidation.

• Stronger Protections for Bodega Workers

Increased NYPD presence, faster emergency response, and meaningful city investment in frontline worker safety.

• Action — Not Just Statements

City and state leaders must act before another bodega worker loses their life.

Emergency Funding for Worker Safety

• Dedicated city and state funding for alert systems, security upgrades and rapid-response resources for bodega workers across all five boroughs.

Organizers said that Saleh's death must be a turning point.

A candlelight vigil to honor Saleh is scheduled for tonight at 7:30 on 13th Street and Avenue B.

According to police and media accounts, an argument that began inside the deli spilled out onto the street, where Saleh was shot. 

The NYPD has confirmed that 28-year-old Kavone Horton, who lives a block from the scene, has been charged in the shooting. He remains hospitalized after reportedly being struck by his own bullet Saturday night.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• 'He looked out for absolutely everyone here': Friends and neighbors discuss slain deli worker Abdul Saleh