Store Worker, 71, Assaulted With Red Bull Can During Queens Gas Station Robbery

QUEENS, NEW YORK — A confrontation over a minor theft turned violent when two shoplifters assaulted a 71-year-old worker at a commercial establishment in Queens, throwing an energy drink can at him before physically attacking him.

The incident occurred on February 28, 2026, at a business located at 138-19 Hillside Avenue. According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), a male and a female suspect entered the store and attempted to leave without paying for an iPhone charger. When the 71-year-old male employee noticed the theft and confronted the pair, the situation escalated rapidly.

The male suspect grabbed an unopened can of Red Bull and hurled it directly at the clerk, striking him. Following this, both suspects launched a physical assault on the elderly worker, punching him multiple times before fleeing the scene with the stolen merchandise. The clerk sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene by emergency medical services.

The NYPD has released surveillance descriptions of the suspects and is appealing to the public for assistance in identifying them. Community members have expressed outrage over the assault of an elderly worker. "To attack a senior citizen working to make a living over a phone charger is despicable," said a local resident. Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline.