Donald Trump left his criminal trial Tuesday and went to the site of a bodega where a worker stabbed an ex-convict to death in self-defense in his Manhattan store.
The former president traveled to Hamilton Heights hoping to speak to Jose Alba, who stabbed Austin Simon to death in July 2022, when he jumped his store counter.
Alba’s case attracted intense scrutiny across New York City until charges against him were dropped in July by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who became a frequent target of attacks from Trump during the election campaign.
The heroic worker was not present at the meeting, with Trump instead meeting with the Harlem bodega store owner in the early evening, at the end of the day’s court proceedings.
Trump received a warm welcome upon his arrival at the bodega, with the crowd chanting “four more years” and cheering his name.
As a crowd chanted the Stars and Stripes behind him, Trump added: “You know what we’re going to do, right? We will save America.
The former president was seen speaking with the bodega’s owner, Maad Ahmed, on Tuesday.
Trump visited the site of the July 2022 shooting death of ex-convict Austin Simon, who was killed in self-defense by Jose Alba as he jumped over his store counter.
Trump received a raucous reception upon his arrival at the bodega Tuesday, as the crowd chanted “four more years” of the former president.
Alba (right) fled to upstate New York and was considering returning home to the Dominican Republic because he feared for his life after being indicted. The charges against him were later dropped by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a frequent Trump target.
The accusations against Alba sparked intense backlash, with surveillance showing he had no intention of fighting and appeared to be acting in self-defense during the confrontation.
At the time, footage clearly showed Simon moved behind the counter at the Hamilton Heights convenience store and pushed the store clerk against a stack of shelves before grabbing him.
Only then did Alba approach a shelf and pull out a knife to fight back.
Trump has used the case in his ongoing campaign to show that his Democratic opponents are soft on crime, weeks after he emerged following the shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller on Long Island after he would have been killed by a repeat offender.
At the bodega, Trump took aim at Bragg, saying, “First, we have to stop crime.
“We have to let the police do their job, we have to give them back their authority,” he said, adding that his election campaign is “making a big play for New York.”
Trump, a former New Yorker who now lives in Florida, said he “loves this city” but that it “has gotten so bad over the last three or four years.”
“The African American community is no longer finding jobs, migrants are taking their jobs that are here illegally,” Trump continued. “Hispanics aren’t getting jobs.”
“A massive number of terrorists are coming to our country, all because of Biden. »
Trump’s warm reception in Manhattan also saw crowds of children shouting “We love Trump!” » shared images by his 2024 national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.
Alba’s case sparked debates over self-defense arguments in criminal cases as footage showed he was attacked by Simon’s girlfriend during a violent argument over a bag of crisps , when she tried to pay $3 but her card was declined.
As Alba and Simon fought, the girlfriend who started the argument took a knife out of her bag and hit Alba in the arm.
Other videos obtained by DailyMail.com show Simon – who was on parole for attacking a police officer when he died – walking behind the bodega counter to confront Alba.
“Daddy, I don’t want any trouble, Daddy,” Alba told him calmly.
The girlfriend was never charged, but Alba was charged with murder in a case that sparked citywide fury.
Alba fled to upstate New York and was considering returning home to the Dominican Republic because he feared for his life after being charged and quit his job after receiving an outpouring of hate following the assault with a knife.
But now he’s back in town.
Trump stopped by the bodega at the end of the second day of his criminal trial
The girlfriend was never charged, but Alba (above, entering a police station) was charged with murder in a case that sparked citywide fury.
Video footage reveals Jose Alba, a bodega employee, was trying to avoid a confrontation with Austin Simon in the minutes before the July 1 stabbing.
José Alba shows the injuries he suffered during the brutal attack in his cellar
Alba (arm in photo) shows photographers her injuries alongside her friend Francisco Marte
On July 19, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office asked a judge to drop charges against Alba after facing intense backlash, including criticism from the city’s mayor. city.
The motion to dismiss said prosecutors “have determined that we cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not have a reason to use deadly physical force.”
The filing stated that “a homicide case against Alba could not be proven at trial beyond a reasonable doubt” and that the case would not be presented to a grand jury.
Trump’s appearance comes as Bragg is a frequent target of his attacks.
Outside the bodega, he also took aim at the criminal trial against him that began Monday and which he called “election interference.”
“The whole world is watching this New York justice system,” he said.
“It all comes from Washington, because they lose very badly. Did you know that they lose very badly? They are losing a lot in the polls.
“People don’t like the persecution, they don’t like what’s happening, they don’t like these fake prosecutors.
As a crowd appeared to chant the Star-Spangled Banner behind him, Trump added: “You know what we’re going to do, right?” We will save America.
dailymail us
