3 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 8, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Elmhurst community shows outpour of love, support for local heroes
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Elected offi cials and community leaders
gathered in Elmhurst on Friday, April 1, to
honor the two men who were injured aft er
heroically stopping a violent robbery outside
their pizza shop last week.
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 suff ered 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. Th e 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. Th ey 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 times. Th e two
also reportedly suff ered collapsed lungs. Th e
father-son duo held down the attackers until
police from the 110th Precinct arrived.
One of the arresting offi cers, Offi cer 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-yearold
Robert Whack and 18-year-old Supreme
Gooding, were arrested. Th ey also reported that
Whack was in possession of “a large amount of
heroin.” Th e third assailant remains at large.
Th e 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. “Th is city need change, we need to stop
the violence. We need to put the people who
are repeat off enders in prison. We need to untie
the hands of our judicial system. Th ings like
this could have been prevented. Let’s hope from
here on out we can make a diff erence in this city
and making it better for our kids tomorrow.”
Th e community rallied together to start a
GoFundMe to cover medical expenses and
pay the pizzeria staff since they closed while
recovering. As of Friday aft ernoon, 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
Photo via Twitter/@RepGraceMeng
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.”
Elected offi cials honor Louie Suljovic for his bravery after saving a woman from being violently robbed.
Rosa’s Pizza will replace Jack’s at Bay Terrace Shopping Center
BY ETHAN MARSHALL
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Th e Queens-based pizza chain Rosa’s Pizza
will be opening at the Bay Terrace Shopping
Center sometime this spring in the spot
previously occupied by Jack’s Pizza.
Until recently, there were rumors Cord
Meyer, the company that owns the shopping
center, intended to open a new pizza place there
to replace Jack’s, which closed its doors in January
aft er an alleged rental dispute with Cord
Meyer. Jack’s had operated there for nearly 50
years before closing its doors.
Founded in 1975, Rosa’s Pizza has since expanded
from Maspeth to nine locations across
Brooklyn and Queens. Rosa’s Pizza co-owner
Charlie Troia said the location is expected to
open within the next “several months.” In
addition to taking over the storefront where
Jack’s once stood, Rosa’s will also occupy one
next to it.
According to Troia, the decision to open a
location at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center is
based, in part, on a desire to expand the chain
eastward. He also said the busy shopping center
was a great fi t for the large location they will
have.
According to Cord Meyer and Rosa’s, they
hope to have the doors opened by around
Memorial Day.
“We look forward to welcoming Rosa’s
Pizza to the Bay Terrace Shopping Center,” a
Cord Meyer spokesperson told QNS. “We
anticipate that Rosa’s will open later this
spring, occupying a larger, improved space and
off ering an expanded menu to accommodate
our neighbors and shoppers.”
Courtesy of Rosa’s Pizza
Rosa’s Pizza will be opening in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center later this year.
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
link
link
