A man was killed during an unprovoked attack after being struck over the head with a wooden board at a petrol station.
Esvin Vasquez, 23, from Queens, New York, was on his way home from a late-night shift and had stopped off to get some petrol at the BP station when he became caught up in a fight on Sunday morning.
He had driven into the petrol station when two large groups of strangers, thought to be around 10-12 people, were in a heated argument when a fight started to break out.
It was around 2am when Mr Vasquez was killed after a wooden board was smashed over the victim’s head during the argument.
Emdee Shaika, who was working at the petrol station during the fight, said he called police after one of the men grabbed a wooden board from a construction site and used it to attack Mr Vasquez.
He told CBS2: “Two groups were there, around 10, 12 people. I saw one guy hit him maybe two times. Also then over also there one time maybe.”
The victim, who lived round the corner from the petrol station, was rushed to a nearby hospital but tragically died.
Mr Vasquez, who had come to America for a better life from Guatemala, was working at a furniture store along with his brother in order to provide money for his young family, one-year-old son Sammy and wife Sofia.
Tributes have been paid to the 23-year-old with a makeshift memorial of flowers and a candle put next to a construction site near the BP petrol station.
According to his family, he had lived in New York for a year and a half.
The cause of the fight has not been revealed as investigators begin their enquiries into his death.
One neighbour said the area is getting worse and is leading to many locals leaving.
Elena Marin told CBS New York: “It’s crazy. We moved from here probably six months ago because of what’s happening here. It’s not the first time.”
Locals have been left distraught at the killing and said the area has turned into a violent and criminal neighbourhood.
One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, added: “Before, so quiet and nice but now, everything has changed.
