A beloved 64-year-old Manhattan supermarket worker died in the aftermath of a scuffle with a shoplifter who tried to flee with a six-pack of Heineken last week, authorities and sources said Monday.
The worker – identified by his family as dad of four, Leobardo Hernandez – spotted a thief trying to steal the beer around 9:15 p.m. Friday inside the Morton Williams on Ninth Avenue near West 58th Street, steps from Columbus Circle, cops and sources said.
When Hernandez confronted the suspect, a “physical altercation” ensued, police said.
Hernandez was punched in the chest during the fracas and was discovered lying on a milk crate inside the store, his sons told WABC Monday.
He was rushed to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, cops said. The exact date and time of his death are unclear.
The cause of his death – and whether criminality is suspected – was not immediately known Monday.
“We do have a lot of questions as well. What’s the actual story? That’s what we want to know,” his son Harold Hernandez told the station. “We heard different stories, trying to put the pieces and puzzle together.”
Hernandez’s autopsy indicated he had a slightly enlarged heart, plaque and previous health issues – and investigators are probing whether stress from the incident was a factor in his death, according to ABC.
The city medical examiner’s office did not immediately respond to a request from The Post.
Hernandez had three sons and a daughter, and his supermarket job allowed him to help make ends meet, his relatives told the network.
Harold described him as a “family man” who was always “very supportive” and “happy.”
“Very lovable, very very kind-hearted,” added his son Henry. “Everybody he met, everybody ended up loving him because of the person he was.”
The would-be thief ultimately dropped the beer and fled empty-handed, and was still on the loose Monday, sources said.
Hernandez’s family has launched a fundraiser that would help cover his funeral arrangements and the process of flying him to his hometown in Mexico, where he wished to be buried.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Leobardo Hernandez, our beloved colleague and a treasured member of our Morton Williams family,” the supermarket chain said in a statement issued to ABC. “He was a dedicated team member for more than ten years, and our prayers are with Leo’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
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