Suspect stalked restaurant employees before gunning down food delivery worker in Queens: D.A.

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Friday, June 3, 2022

Suspect stalked restaurant before gunning down delivery worker: D.A.

A man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly gunning down a food delivery worker as he made deliveries in Queens in late April.

FOREST HILLS, Queens (WABC) -- A man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly gunning down a food delivery worker as he made deliveries in Queens in late April.

Glenn Hirsch, 51, was arrested at his home Wednesday night on murder and weapons charges in the shooting death of 45-year-old Zhiwen Yan.

Yan was killed while making deliveries on a scooter for the Great Wall Chinese restaurant in Forest Hills back on the night of April 30.

Police said Hirsch had multiple prior disagreements with staff at the restaurant over food orders.

He had menaced the restaurant manager with a gun and twice vandalized vehicles owned by his staff, according to police.

On one occasion Hirsch returned to the restaurant with a gun asking "do you remember me" while pointing the firearm. He then went outside and slashed the tires of the owner's car, according to Queens District Attorney Milinda Katz.

One witness told police an older model Lexus SUV fled the murder scene, the same type of vehicle driven by Hirsch.

The shooting happened about a half-mile from the restaurant, where Yan had worked for more than 20 years.

Video from the scene showed Yan pulling onto 108th Street when someone approached on foot with a gun drawn.

Yan can be seen trying to roll back to get away, but the gunman fired one shot, hitting him and sending the scooter toppling to the ground.

Yan was later pronounced dead at Elmhurst Hospital.

Hirsch was arrested when police executed a search warrant on his apartment Wednesday night.

Investigators said surveillance video showed his vehicle outside the restaurant before the shooting.

Along with the murder and weapons charges, Hirsch was also charged Thursday with two counts of criminal mischief for a pair of prior incidents at the restaurant, in December and January.

According to the Queens District Attorney, on December 16, Hirsch vandalized the restaurant owner's car causing $250 worth of damage.

And on January 28, he returned with a gun, asking "do you remember me" while pointing the gun before going outside and slashing the passenger side tires of the owner's car.

Hirsch pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday.

His lawyer, Michael Horn, told reporters that he believes authorities "arrested the wrong man."

He said Hirsch had an argument with Great Wall's manager in November, but nothing more.

"He had no quarrel over any deliveryman, and he has not done anything to harm any deliveryman," the attorney said.

Following the arrest, Yan's widow released the following statement:

"We were all relieved that someone had been arrested. We are grateful to the NYPD and have full confidence that the Queens District Attorney will bring justice to Zhiwen Yan, a loving and kind husband, father, son, friend, and community member."