April 8-14, 2022 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
THE NEWSPAPER OF JAMAICA, HOLLIS & ST. ALBANS
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ELMHURST COMMUNITY SHOWS OUTPOUR
OF LOVE, SUPPORT FOR LOCAL HEROES
BY JULIA MORO
Elected officials and community
leaders gathered in Elmhurst on Friday,
April 1, to honor the two men who were
injured after heroically stopping a violent
robbery outside their pizza shop in
March.
Louie Suljovic, 38, a military veteran
and owner of Louie’s Pizzeria on
Baxter Avenue, and his 68-year-old father,
Charlie, both intervened Saturday
night, March 26, as three men attempted
to rob a Korean woman. Suljovic and his
father both suffered stab wounds. Suljovic’s
father was unable to attend the celebration
since he is still in the hospital.
Congresswoman Grace Meng
thanked the two for their quick jump to
action as the crowd of about 50 people
cheered, clapped and chanted “Louie.”
“We are gathering here today to say
‘thank you’ and salute you and your dad
for your selflessness and your bravery,”
Meng said. “Both of them are an inspiration
— a shining example of what is
great about the people of Queens and the
city of New York. The two of them embody
the best of New York City.”
According to police, three men approached
the 61-year-old Korean woman
outside of Louie’s Pizzeria around 9 p.m.
They then pushed her to the ground,
took her bag and stabbed her, just before
Suljovic and his father could intervene.
Suljovic told ABC 7 that he was
stabbed while struggling to stop the assailants
and his father was stabbed nine
Elected officials honor Louie Suljovic for his bravery after saving a woman from being
violently robbed. Photo via Twitter/@RepGraceMeng
times. The two also reportedly suffered
collapsed lungs. The father-son duo held
down the attackers until police from the
110th Precinct arrived.
One of the arresting officers, Officer
Kevin O’Donnell, spoke at the ceremony
saying, “We love Louie and I thank God
we were where we were.”
According to NYPD, two assailants,
30-year-old Robert Whack and 18-yearold
Supreme Gooding, were arrested.
They also reported that Whack was in
possession of “a large amount of heroin.”
The third assailant remains at
large. The two muggers that were apprehended
were previously arrested for
other incidents of assault.
Suljovic passionately said attacks
like these can be prevented and the city
needs to do more to protect New Yorkers.
“I hope this is a catalyst for change,”
Suljovic said. “This city need change,
we need to stop the violence. We need to
put the people who are repeat offenders
in prison. We need to untie the hands
of our judicial system. Things like this
could have been prevented. Let’s hope
from here on out we can make a difference
in this city and making it better for
our kids tomorrow.”
The community rallied together to
start a GoFundMe to cover medical expenses
and pay the pizzeria staff since
they closed while recovering. As of Friday
afternoon, April 1, the page raised
$612,138, exceeding its $75,000 goal.
Suljovic is well known in the community
for his kindness, having provided
meals to frontline workers at Elmhurst
Hospital. Assemblywoman Catalina
Cruz, who worked with Suljovic to help
serve food to essential workers during
the pandemic, said she was not surprised
by the Suljovic’s courage.
“Louie has been here for our community
every day during the pandemic,”
Cruz said. “He turned food into hope.
When you pass by and hear the neighbors
call your name, it’s not just because
of the great pizza, it’s because of
your heart. We’re thankful to have you
as our neighbor, hero and friend.”
Vol. 10 No. 14 40 total pages
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