After Ayman Moustafa, a worker at the halal cart outside of Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus was stabbed by an unidentified man on Oct. 10, members of the Fordham community voiced their support for Moustafa.
Moustafa suffered a minor injury to his left arm, but otherwise remains unharmed. Despite the incident, he continued serving food within an hour after the attack.
Moustafa said that even if he was severely injured by the incident he would have had to return; He said that he cannot afford to miss work.
“I have work because I have rent and bills, and have to pay that. If I stay at home, if I didn’t come to work here, then how could I pay all these bills? I have to come every day to pay that,” Moustafa said.
“I was really crushed. I went and said with my friends that we’re really sorry and we’re glad he’s good.” Elena Dimitriou, FCLC ’28
Students shocked by the incident expressed their sympathy for Moustafa and his recovery.
Elena Dimitriou, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’28, said she was deeply disturbed and went to the halal cart to check on Moustafa upon hearing of the attack.
“I was really crushed. I went and said with my friends that we’re really sorry and we’re glad he’s good,” she said.
Dimitriou said that she and her friends go to the halal cart almost every day and have developed a familiarity with the cart and the workers, including Moustafa.
“The majority of students go there and eat. All of the students know his name and chat with him,” Dimitriou said.
The halal cart is a critical part of the community at Lincoln Center, according to Sarah Fichter, FCLC ’25.
Jack Clark, FCLC ’25, is himself a regular at the halal cart and emphasized the cart’s rapport with students.
“Everyone uses it (the halal cart). The dudes who work there are always super nice,” Clark said.
The halal cart is a critical part of the community at Lincoln Center, according to Sarah Fichter, FCLC ’25. Fichter suggested the school should support Moustafa.
“It would definitely be in good spirit and will for Fordham to do something to support the halal cart because it is so important to a lot of the students and general culture at Fordham,” she said.
Moustafa addressed the concerned community and expressed gratitude for the support from FLC students in the wake of the incident.
“It’s because of the halal cart that I don’t go to the Fordham dining halls. It’s much more affordable.” Dailey Ward, FCLC ’25
“All the students here are so helpful,” he said. “They are so kind. Most students here, they are my friends. I talk to them every day.”
Students and administrators alike enjoy food from the halal cart. University President Tania Tetlow said on separate occasions that her favorite food to order from the halal cart was chicken over rice.
Operating in front of the Leon Lowenstein Center lobby entrance seven days a week, the cart is a hallmark of the Lincoln Center campus.
The food served at the halal cart rivals Fordham’s official campus dining options as a staple of student diets. Dailey Ward, FCLC ’25, prefers the food at the halal cart over any of the official dining locations at Lincoln Center.
“It’s because of the halal cart that I don’t go to the Fordham dining halls. It’s much more affordable,” Ward said.
Moustafa said the assailant came around the back of the halal cart and attempted to enter. He told the individual not to enter the cart, and in response, the man revealed a knife. The individual then attempted to forcibly enter the cart, starting a physical altercation between the two where the man stabbed Moustafa in the left tricep just above the elbow.
“He tried to enter the cart, I told him ‘go back please, don’t enter please,’ and he got a knife in his pocket, and he stabbed me, he tried to stab me in my stomach, and when I pushed him out, he just got my arm with the knife,” Moustafa said.
Moustafa said the assailant did not order any food before attempting to enter, and that it is possible the assailant was attempting to steal from the cart. Moustafa called the police after the incident.
The attacker fled south, according to Fordham Public Safety, before two NYPD officers responded less than five minutes after the assault. Moustafa then filed a police report and received medical attention in an ambulance.
Bob Dineen, assistant vice president for Public Safety at Lincoln Center, said the attack is beyond Public Safety’s purview, as it happened outside of the Lincoln Center campus.
“Unfortunately, the University cannot assume responsibility for the safety of vendors who are not operating on our property. We certainly will (and do) respond to the scene if we see or are informed of an incident adjacent to campus, and always respond to calls for assistance from members of the campus community (in person or by phone), regardless of location,.” Dineen wrote.
According to Dineen, NYPD is still investigating the incident. He said he hopes that the assailant will be caught.
“The slashing and attempted robbery of Mr. Moustafa is still under investigation by the 20th Precinct Detective Squad — hopefully the police will catch the person responsible for the crime,” Dineen said.
