Members of the United Bodegas of America (UBA) have come together demanding officials do something, after a woman went berserk, and attempted to destroy a store with a butcher’s knife in the Soundview section of the Bronx on July 31 after she was asked to wear a face covering.

 

Members of the UBA gathered on Sunday, Aug. 30 for a press conference outside LizBeth Supermarket, where the incident occurred, and which is located at 1702 Watson Avenue, to publicly voice their concerns about the dangers and harassment bodega owners and employees face from some customers.

 

Supermarket owner, Wascar Soto, said in a statement to the media during the press conference, “I thought it was simple. I ask everyone coming into my bodega to wear a mask. Some argue, some curse, some want to fight, some simply slam the door and leave, but this person was different. She pulled out a butcher knife, and stabbed soda cans, plastic soft drinks, sacks of rice. You name it, she stabbed it.”

 

Fernando Mateo, a spokesman for the UBA, said, “We had a woman wielding a butcher knife, came in. When she was told she needed to wear a mask, she pulled out the knife, got irate and started throwing groceries all over the floor.” Mateo said the woman began stabbing liquid containers, and caused more than $7,000 worth of damage.

 

Mateo added, “As small business people, it’s very hard for us to enforce or to force anyone to do what the mayor and the governor wants them to do.” He continued, “Every day we put our lives at risk because people walk in the bodegas, and they’re told you must wear a mask, and bodega owners or clerks get spit at, get cursed at, and get all kinds of abuse.”

 

He said that after the police were called to the store, over two dozen officers showed up and went down each aisle while the knife-wielding customer was still in one corner of the store. “It took them over an hour to bring this woman to her senses, to surrender the weapon and turn herself in,” he said.

“I think that the cops are doing a great job,” Mateo continued, “But you know what? They are not allowed to do their jobs anymore.” Mateo then publicly challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to spend one day behind the counter of a bodega during a pandemic.

 

Taking a swipe at the recent bail reform legislation, Mateo then added, “The worst thing of all is she was arrested, then released a few hours later. She was back sitting on the stoop of her building.”

 

Mateo added, “Bodega owners right now have to take whatever means necessary to defend themselves.” He then made reference to bodega workers throwing canned food items to protect themselves, which is what one bodega worker did after a colleague was smacked in the face during a similar incident in Morrisania.

Meanwhile, Soto said he knows the woman who attacked the store from the neighborhood, and noted that she had never caused a problem before, Asked what he would do if the woman returned to the store, he replied, “If she comes back, we can’t stop it.”

 

According to NYPD spokeswoman, Detective Denise Moroney, police arrested Ariel Gager, 29, of Bruckner Boulevard after the incident. She was charged with criminal mischief for the July 31 incident.

 

Earlier this year, on Friday, April 17, an executive order signed by Governor Cuomo required all citizens and visitors of the state to wear a face covering when it’s not possible to maintain a safe social distance of six feet.