BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Valery Pazdenkov, 56, a Domino's Pizza delivery driver, was shot to death during a Dec. 14 robbery.
According to Newsday, Pazdenkov had just delivered an order to a regular customer on the second floor of an apartment building, and as he exited the building, a gunman confronted him and demanded money. When the driver turned over $30, the gunman appeared enraged at the small amount and shot Pazdenkov.
As the suspect ran from the building, Farraz Hussain, the customer who had just received the order, came out of the apartment to help Pazdenkov.
"He was screaming," said Hussain, 19, his hands shaking as he recounted the story. "I tried to see if he had any gunshot wounds."
A police source said $100 was found on the victim, and Hussain said the victim's pockets were turned inside out.
Initially Pazdenkov, who was shot once in the abdomen, was coherent and was able to relay to police what had happened. But his condition deteriorated progressively due to multiple injuries to organs and blood vessels.
Pazdenkov, who was married and raising a 15-year-old grandson, immigrated to the U.S. in 1996.
"He was just one of your model employees," said Manny Acquafredda, a manager at the Domino's store where Pazdenkov worked. "If we were in a jam or if someone didn't show up, he'd come right in."
Van Carney, director of security for Domino's, lamented the victim as "a good man" and said the company has put up $2,000--to be added to the NYPD's Crimestoppers $2,000 reward--for information leading to the gunman's arrest and conviction.
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