A New York City woman has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a U.S. Postal Service worker to death inside a Harlem deli, authorities said Thursday.
Jair Cruz, 24, of Manhattan, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Ray Hodges, 36, the New York City Police Department said in a statement.
According to police, the incident occurred at 168 Lenox Avenue in Harlem around 2:38 p.m.
Hodges, a Bronx resident, was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said.
Police said Cruz was arrested and charged just before 10 p.m. Thursday.
NBC New York reported that Hodges was at work when he was stabbed in the abdomen.
An employee at the deli told news outlets that an argument broke out over a food order and the suspect became angry that the postal worker had placed his order first.
Representatives from the New York City Police Department could not be reached Friday afternoon to comment on a potential motive.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed in a statement that the person killed was a postal worker. The Postal Inspection Service said the mail carrier was assigned to Manhattan.
“The Postal Inspection Service views issues related to the safety and health of postal employees as a top priority. We are working diligently with the New York City Police Department on this investigation,” the statement said.
Cruz’s video showed members of the media screaming at her and ignoring her as she was handcuffed and taken to an unmarked car. Questions included why she stabbed the postal worker and whether the confrontation was over a sandwich.
It was not immediately clear as of Friday afternoon whether Mr. Cruz had hired a lawyer.
Hodges’ relatives could not be reached for comment.
