Man Threw Molotov Cocktail Inside Deli, Gets 14 Years In Prison: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for throwing a Molotov cocktail into a Bed-Stuy deli and stabbing a deli worker who chased him as he fled the scene, prosecutors said.

Joel Mangal, 40, of Brooklyn, pled guilty to second-degree attempted murder last month in connection to the October 2021 incident, prosecutors said.

On Oct. 30, Mangal threatened to kill two employees at a deli located at 496 Nostrand Avenue and threatened to burn the building down. He then picked up an apple from the store and threw it in the direction of one employee, breaking a television screen.

Mangal returned and threw a Molotov cocktail inside the deli, which engulfed the deli counter and caused portions of the cashier counter to go up in flames, forcing two employees to jump through the flames to get to safety, prosecutors said.

Mangal tried to throw a second Molotov cocktail into the store, but a passerby knocked it out of his hand. He then fled the location, prosecutors said.

He headed towards the Nostrand Avenue A/C subway station and was chased by deli workers.

One was stabbed in the hand by Mangal as he tried to escape.

"This defendant threw an incendiary device into a deli, leading to an explosion which endangered the lives of two workers. Thankfully, no one was killed or seriously injured. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his actions," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.

Mangal was ultimately arrested by a police officer at the station.