Shocking moment deadly fight breaks out at fish market with customer ‘stabbed to death for birthday prawns’

TERRIFYING footage has revealed the moment a deadly fight broke out over stolen shrimp, prosecutors say.

Two brothers reportedly rushed to the counter at the Fish Express Fish Market in Harlem on the night of February 21, prompting a terrified worker to retaliate.

4

4

Surveillance footage obtained exclusively by the New York Post appears to show one of the New York shopkeepers stabbing 25-year-old Malik Burrell.

His brother Robert “Bobby” Burrell, 29, was seriously injured and charged with assault and burglary while shopkeeper Junior Aquino Hernandez, 34, was initially charged with murder.

The homicide charge was later dropped, but Hernandez, a father of four, could still go to jail for assault.

“At this time, we are not prepared to move forward with charges related to Malik’s death pending a full investigation,” Assistant District Attorney Mireille Dee said during a hearing Thursday evening.

Bobby initially entered the store alone and had a disagreement with the workers as he tried to buy shrimp for a birthday dinner, state prosecutors said.

He allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying, but allegedly dropped the shrimp and punched a worker on his way out after being confronted.

Bobby returned soon after with his brother Malik and they walked towards the workers behind the counter.

The two began punching the worker, causing Hernandez to rush to his defense, prosecutors say.

When he couldn’t separate them, he returned to the kitchen to grab a knife while one of the brothers threw a chair at the worker.

Hernandez then allegedly stabbed Malik twice in the chest as he was punching the worker, the lawyers claim.

Robert grabbed his brother and dragged him to the store entrance but Hernandez was on their trail.

The worker pierced Malik three more times with the knife in his hand and abdomen, causing his lung to collapse, prosecutors said.

The entire scrum only lasted 35 seconds.

The brothers’ father, Robert Burrell, told the Post that it was “crazy” that his namesake was charged with theft.

“I know very well that my sons don’t steal anything,” he said.

“They have money. They have money on their cash app and they had money in their pocket.”

Meanwhile, authorities have expressed the seriousness of the situation, saying a man was indeed killed, but the matter requires serious investigation.

“We are continuing to investigate to determine if the first stabbing behind the counter was justified,” Dee said.

“We are, however, in the process of filing charges in relation to the incident at the door for the Robert Burrell stabbing.”

After his charges were changed, Hernandez seemed relieved and hugged his family members.

“I’m sorry,” he told reporters outside the courthouse.

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Hernandez is due back in court on April 4.

4