New York City employee who killed alleged robber has murder charge dropped

The New York City fish market employee who allegedly stabbed and killed a man during a dispute will no longer be charged with murder, according to police.

Junior Aquino Hernandez, 34, was arrested Tuesday night for stabbing half-brothers Malik and Robert Burrell at Fish Express Fish Market in Upper Manhattan. Hernandez accused the pair of trying to steal shrimp from the Harlem store.

Malik, 25, allegedly fled the store but then returned with his half-brother Robert. Store manager Manuel Perez defended Hernandez and accused the pair of hitting the employee. 

“The store was robbed,” Perez told the New York Post. “He came back with somebody else. The door was locked but they broke the door and started hitting one of the employees that took the shrimp from them.”

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Malik died from his wounds at Health & Hospitals/Harlem, while his 29-year-old half-brother was listed in stable condition and sustained injuries to his torso.

The NYPD confirmed to Fox News Digital that Burrell is charged with robbery and assault.  Hernandez is still charged with assault.

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The manager of the fish market staunchly defended his employee, arguing that he was attacked.

“They broke his face, his mouth, he was in really bad shape,” Perez explained. “Junior took the knife and the fight got really bad and he had to stab the two guys who came in and were hitting him.” 

The violent encounter comes months after Harlem bodega worker Jose Alba stabbed an ex-convict for shoving him during a dispute. Alba’s murder charge was also dropped after public backlash.