Married Papa John’s worker fatally shot in head during apparent mugging outside NYC home: ‘Act of pure violence’
A married Bronx Papa John’s worker who twice won “employee of the month” was fatally shot in the head early Tuesday during an apparent mugging outside his home, according to law enforcement sources and his grief-stricken co-worker.
Idriss Cherif El Farissy, 28, had just parked his car outside his East 176th Street apartment in Crotona Park East after his delivery driver shift when he was targeted by the gunman just before 3 a.m., the sources said.
“I heard the shots, then screaming. I heard four or five shots around 3 a.m.,” a neighbor who only identified himself as Joe told The Post. “He was backing up. I think he was coming home from work.”
“He didn’t even get a chance to open the gate,” Joe added. “By the time I came out, the wife was there and the police were trying to revive him on the sidewalk.”
The callous shooter rifled through the victim’s pockets before making his getaway, according to the sources.
The black hoodie-wearing killer, who was still on the loose Tuesday, fled on a bike, cops said.
El Farissy – who was originally from Morocco – was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
He had only been working at the pizza joint for about 8 months, since around Thanksgiving time, according to his colleague Leslie Pozo, 29, a cashier, cops said.
He was called in to work the closing shift because the shop was short a driver, according to Pozo.
During his short tenure there, he’d already won “employee of the month” twice, she recalled.
“I don’t understand this sort of violence towards someone who didn’t have any issues with anybody,” Pozo said. “This was truly an act of pure violence. He didn’t have no issues with anybody.
“He never had a bad word to say about anybody. He was always giving people the benefit of the doubt — don’t get mad, just let it go.”
Pozo described her slain co-worker as “very bubbly,” “so smart” and “honestly a very good person.”
He spoke French, Spanish, English, “and his native language from Morocco, which I believe was Arabic,” Pozo said.
“He didn’t have children yet. He wanted to finish school first,” Pozo added. “He wanted to have kids, but he was honestly just enjoying his life. He wanted to travel and help his family. He spoke so much about his siblings and his parents, they were all so close.”
El Farissy “had a beautiful wife who he loved” and planned to go on vacation with her to the Dominican Republic in two weeks, Pozo said.
The doting son also spent every Sunday with his mom, according to his grieving colleague.
“He really enjoyed where he lived because he felt it was a quiet area and not many people hung out on the street,” Pozo added.
Members of the FDNY could be seen Tuesday afternoon hosing blood off the sidewalk in front of El Farissy’s home, where the slain man’s emotional family asked a reporter to leave.
Police could be seen standing next to a white Nissan Altima still running outside El Farissy’s home, backed in on an angle just shy of the gates to his driveway.
Meanwhile, Joe described El Farissy as “a really nice guy” who just moved in with his wife last October and “kept to himself.”
“It’s devastating,” the neighbor added. “To hear and see it was a complete shock.”
“I’m a little numb right now. I feel bad for his wife and his family. They’re really good people.”
