Career criminal with 31 prior arrests slashes NYC cafe worker: cops

A violent incident occurred at Moka & Co., a coffee shop in Manhattan, when a career criminal named Wagner Louis attacked a cafe worker. Louis, who has a long criminal history with 31 prior arrests, was causing a disturbance inside the cafe when the 50-year-old employee asked him to leave. In a fit of rage, Louis pulled out a metal object and slashed the worker’s neck.

The injured employee was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and initially listed in critical condition, but later stabilized. Meanwhile, Louis fled the scene in a car but was apprehended by the police at 34th Street and Park Avenue. He was charged with attempted murder, assault in the second and third degrees, second-degree menacing, and criminal possession of a weapon.

This was not Louis’ first brush with the law. He had a previous attempted murder arrest for shooting a man in Brooklyn in 2023. Despite a high bail amount set by the judge, Louis managed to post bail and was involved in other criminal activities, such as possession of stolen property.

Louis’ criminal record also includes arrests for unauthorized use of a vehicle and grand larceny. His most recent arrest prior to the cafe incident was for criminal possession of stolen property in Brooklyn. The incident at Moka & Co. serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by career criminals with a history of violence.