A man and woman were killed in a stabbing in Bethpage on Long Island, Nassau County police said.
It happened at the A&A Italian Deli and Pizza on Hicksville Road near Boundary Avenue just after 9 a.m.
Ambulances and police vehicles swarmed to the scene in response. Police said a 30-year-old man was arrested, but did not immediately release his name. The handcuffed man had bloody hands, and could be seen being loaded into a police van.
Family friends say they victims were age 70 and 62 and lived in Seaford. Patrons said that one of their sons was going through emotional struggles.
Friends hugged emotional family members. The deli is a beloved spot where families have gathered for 30 years.
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“They were absolutely wonderful”
Witnesses described a harrowing scene.
“This is the worse thing to happen to me in my lifetime, and I’m 97 years old,” devoted patron Joe Boros said. “He walked out and he said ‘I stabbed my parents’ … nonchalantly walked out … I just don’t understand.”
“They were absolutely wonderful. The entire community knows this deli. Everyone, you can ask anyone in the community, they all love the family. Just kind, funny, good, old fashioned Italian family. Everyone loved going in there. The food was great. It’s heartbreaking,” resident Alicia Garbanero said.
“An Italian family, they were always arguing loud in there, but they always got along. Never saw a problem,” patron Dan Harper said.
“Packed on Sunday mornings, people getting egg sandwiches. He knew what everybody wanted … they were just hardworking people,” patron Diane Elder said.
“They’ve been open since my kids were little. They’re now 40,” Marie Troise said.
A family friend said the two victims were already planning their annual summer trip to Italy with their children.
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