Former President Donald Trump visited a bodega in New York City where a worker was attacked, robbed, and wrongfully prosecuted for murder by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Prior to his visit, Trump issued a press release revealing that he would be “visiting” the bodega where Jose Alba, who had been working as a bodega clerk, was “robbed, attacked, and, ultimately, wrongfully accused of murder” after he had defended himself.
“President Trump’s visit to one of New York City’s bodegas comes at a time when retail theft is skyrocketing and the New York City police force is on track to fall to its lowest numbers since the 1990s by 2025,” Trump’s press release said. “Bodegas are a lifeline to underserved communities, and President Trump believes that only by undoing the Democrat party’s soft-on-crime policies can law and order be fully restored to every borough throughout New York City.”
As Trump visited the Sanaa Convenient Store, a crowd of people could be heard chanting, “Four more years! Four more years!”
During his visit, Trump met with, Maad Ahmed, the co-owner of the store, and Francisco Marte, a bodega owner and small business advocate.
HAPPENING NOW: President Trump visits Sanaa Convenient Store in Harlem
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) April 16, 2024
This is where Jose Alba was robbed, attacked, and wrongfully accused of murder by D.A. Alvin Bragg after being forced to defend his life!
People chant “FOUR MORE YEARS” pic.twitter.com/Sb3cgHDQOj
On July 1, 2022, Alba, who is in his 60’s, defended himself when 35-year-old Austin Simon entered the bodega and went behind the counter after his girlfriend was unable to make a purchase as her benefits card was declined.
After a confrontation between Simon and Alba ensued, in which Simon can be seen on video footage grabbing Alba by his shirt’s collar and allegedly pushing him, Alba fatally stabbed Simon in an attempt to defend himself.
Bragg arrested and charged Alba with second-degree murder. On July 19, 2022, Bragg dropped the charges against Alba.
In September 2023, Alba filed a lawsuit against George Soros-funded Bragg claiming he was “wrongfully prosecuted.”
NYC bodega worker Jose Alba defends himself against an alleged attacker. (Screenshot)
“I have never voted, because I’ve been working, but this time I will,” Ahmed told the New York Post. “We need Donald Trump back in the White House because he’s a strong guy.”
As of the week of April 8 to 14, there were 4,531 reported robberies in New York City, an increase from the 4,346 reported robberies during that time period in 2023, according to crime data from the New York City Police Department. There have also been 7,419 reported felony assaults so far in 2024, according to the data for the week of April 8 to 14, an increase from the 7,281 reported during that time period in 2023.
