Jose Alba, 61, is an American citizen who works at a Bodega store. He’s a native of the Dominican Republic and came to the United States around 30 years ago and became a citizen 14 years ago. He’s a father of three and has been working at the Hamilton Heights grocery store for nearly three years.
On Friday, July 1, 2022, an unfortunate event took place when a man named Austin Simon entered the store and pushed Alba behind the counter. The brawl erupted and Alba stabbed Simon multiple times which culminated in his death.
Although Alba stabbed Simon in self-defense, the local police registered the case of second-degree murder and arrested Alba upon arrival. He was also charged with the illegal acquisition of weapons in the store.
Austin Simon was a 37-year-old ex-con who is the victim in the case. He entered the grocery store on Friday and started attacking Alba after the initial confrontation. Simon also has a criminal record where he had prior arrests for robbery, assault, and other charges.