NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Two men who stabbed and robbed a 61-year-old woman—and then stabbed two good Samaritans who tried to help her—outside a Queens pizzeria on March 29, were both charged with attempted murder, Queens District Attorney announced Tuesday.
The incident happened outside of Louie's Pizza at Baxter Avenue and Judge Street in Elmhurst around 8:45 p.m. when the men, Supreme Gooding, 18, and Robert Whack, 30, robbed her and stabbed her in the back.
Both men are also being charged for another incident that took place on March 16. A 75-year-old woman was entering her apartment building on 64th Street when she felt her purse and cane she uses being pulled out of her hands.
Whack and Gooding were allegedly observed on video surveillance running down the block in possession of the victim's purse immediately after the robbery, according to authorities.
They are both indicted on attempted murder, assault, robbery, and other charges.
The owner of Louie's Pizza, 38-year-old Louie Suljovic and his father, 68-year-old Charlie Suljovic, were behind the counter of the pizzeria as the duo was attacking the woman. The elder Suljovic went outside and attempted to intervene and was stabbed multiple times and hit in the head, according to police.
"My father noticed it first, that the woman was attacked and she was on the floor, and my understanding was he heard screaming," Louie Suljovic told WABC-TV. "So he went after them and yelled my name. Once I heard my name, we both chased them down the block."
According to Louie, the Korean woman who was attacked suffered a long gash and was losing a lot of blood. Due to a language barrier, she did not know what the assailants were saying to her, ABC 7 reported.
Louie also intervened and was stabbed in the process. Charlie was stabbed nine times in the back.
"Trying to take a breath, but it's hard to take a real breath, and you feel like a bubbling inside," Louie told ABC 7. "My dad's a bull, like old school men. They don't make them like they used to."
Both of the Suljovics held the two of the three suspects down until authorities arrived. They then walked themselves across the street into Elmhurst Hospital where they were treated.
The defendants now face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
