In the early hours of Tuesday morning, July 23, 2024, tragedy struck in the Crotona Park East neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, as Idriss Cherif El Farissy, a dedicated employee at Papa John’s restaurant, was fatally shot in the head outside his home during an attempted robbery.
El Farissy, 28, was returning from his shift as a delivery driver when he was targeted by an unknown gunman just before 3 a.m. The assailant, wearing a black hoodie, fled the scene on a bicycle after rifling through El Farissy’s pockets, according to law enforcement sources.
El Farissy had been employed at the pizza place for only eight months but had already made a notable impact, winning Employee of the Month twice. His coworker, Leslie Pozo, 29, a cashier at Papa John’s, described him as very cheerful, intelligent, and genuinely a good person who spoke multiple languages, including French, Spanish, English, and Arabic.
“I don’t understand this kind of violence towards someone who didn’t have any issues with anybody,” Pozo said.
El Farissy had just moved into the neighborhood with his wife last October and was planning a vacation with her to the Dominican Republic in two weeks. A neighbor, who only identified himself as Joe, recalled hearing four or five shots around 3 a.m. “He was backing up. I think he was returning from work,” Joe explained. “He didn’t even have the chance to open the gate. By the time I got outside, his wife was there, and the police were trying to revive him on the sidewalk.”
Originally from Morocco, El Farissy was pronounced dead at the scene. His death has left the community in shock and mourning. “It’s devastating,” Joe added. “Witnessing and hearing it was a complete shock. I’m a bit numb right now. I feel terrible for his wife and family. They’re good people.”
Members of the FDNY were seen hosing blood off the sidewalk in front of El Farissy’s home on Tuesday afternoon, where his emotional family asked a reporter to leave. The police are still searching for the killer, who remains at large.
His life was characterized by hard work and devotion to his family. He took on the job at Papa John’s to help support his loved ones while pursuing his education. He didn’t have children yet because he wanted to complete his education first, according to Pozo. “He did want to have kids eventually, but for now, he was enjoying his life. He wanted to travel and support his family. He often talked about his siblings and parents; they were all very close.”
El Farissy’s death is one of several violent incidents that have occurred in the Bronx recently. On the same day, three other shootings were reported, adding to the sense of unease in the community.
