Cafe Worker Attacked by Career Criminal in Manhattan

A man with a lengthy criminal record—around 30 prior arrests, including for attempted murder—attacked a cafe worker in Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon, according to police reports. The confrontation occurred when the 50-year-old employee, employed at Moka & Co, a Yemeni coffee shop on West 34th Avenue, asked 32-year-old Wagner Louis to leave the establishment due to his erratic behavior.

After being asked to exit, Louis reportedly became enraged. He pulled out a metal object and slashed at the employee’s neck, as confirmed by authorities.

The injured worker was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where initial reports described his condition as critical. Fortunately, by Thursday, he had stabilized, police noted.

Following the incident, Louis fled the scene in a vehicle but was apprehended by officers at the intersection of 34th Avenue and Park Avenue.

Law enforcement charged him with attempted murder, along with multiple other offenses including second and third-degree assault, making threats, and criminal possession of a weapon. Notably, his record includes a past attempted murder charge stemming from an incident in which he allegedly shot a 21-year-old man three times in a Brooklyn building lobby on November 22, 2023.

In that previous case, bail was set at $150,000 in cash or $300,000 in bonds, the office of the Brooklyn District Attorney reported.

Furthermore, recent police records indicate that Louis was arrested again on July 24, 2024, for possessing stolen property. He has also faced charges related to vehicle misuse and grand theft.