By tf-lawyer.com During a recent court hearing in Brooklyn, a key witness recounted the harrowing robbery that unfolded on February 26, 2021, at a Chinese gambling den on 7th Avenue. This violent incident ended tragically with the death of Zheng Yong, a courageous bystander who was fatally stabbed while attempting to help.
The witness, 57-year-old Jiang Anquan, took the stand to share his experience. At the time of the robbery, he was working as a driver, transporting passengers between 8th Avenue and Chinatown, but is currently unemployed. Living just a block away at 723 58th Street, Jiang described that evening as he and three friends played cards in the basement, with another person resting nearby. Around 9:20 PM, they heard loud banging on the basement door.
“Just days before, the police had come and taken down the surveillance cameras, so I had no way of seeing who was outside when I opened the door,” Jiang recalled. “As soon as I opened it, six or seven individuals rushed in.” He described the assailants as appearing to be either African American or Hispanic, with some wearing ski masks. Initially, he thought they might be police, but it quickly became clear they were there to rob them, heading straight for the gambling table and grabbing hundreds of dollars in cash.
The robbers ordered everyone to raise their hands and stand against the wall, searching pockets for cash and valuables. Jiang recounted losing over $1,000 and his cellphone in the fracas. Driven to recover his phone, he confronted the robbers armed with a wooden stick, only to realize they were wielding knives.
In a desperate bid for help, Jiang chased the robbers into the street, shouting for assistance in Fuzhou dialect to fellow immigrants and hoping nearby residents would call the police. His pursuit led him to the intersection of 7th Avenue and 78th Street, where he was joined by several community members ready to confront the attackers.
According to courtroom video footage, chaos erupted quickly. One of the robbers knocked Jiang to the ground and stabbed him multiple times. “I saw the blood and realized I had been stabbed,” he said. Although he managed to get up and cross the street, he ultimately collapsed, suffering multiple stab wounds to his chest, back, and waist, though fortunately none were life-threatening.
Tragically, during this chaos, Zheng Yong, who had been enjoying a walk with family and friends nearby, heard the disturbance and rushed to help. He was viciously stabbed by the robbers and later died from his injuries. Friends and family in the courtroom honored his bravery, describing Zheng as someone who always stood up for others. They expressed their shock at the brutality of the attack.
A friend of Zheng’s pointed out that among the six or seven robbers involved, only William Smith has been captured and charged, while the others remain on the loose. Legal proceedings against Smith are expected to continue for some time.
