EXCLUSIVE: ‘Duck sauce killer’, 51,who shot dead a Chinese delivery man in NYC over long-running feud about condiments kills himself before court hearing while out on $500,000 bail
- Glenn Hirsch, 51, has shot and killed himself at his apartment before he was set to appear at Queens Supreme Court today
- He previously pleaded not guilty to the murder offence, and has nine prior arrests on his record
- Hirsch’s brother posted the $500,000 in a certified check, though attorney Michael Horn says that the money came from his client
- He was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet monitor at all times and remain at his Jamaica home 24 hours a day
- Hirsch’s attorney confirmed that his client had left a note, expressing that the ‘system was not treating him fairly’
- His wife Dorothy, 62, pleaded not guilty earlier this week after she was arraigned on weapons charges when cops raided her home
- It is understood that the couple had separated, and had not lived together for years
- Zhiwen Yan, 45, a father-of-three, was doing delivery rounds on his scooter in Forest Hills, Queens when he was shot in the chest
The Queens ‘duck sauce killer’ has committed suicide in his apartment ahead of a court hearing today over claims he shot dead a Chinese restaurant delivery driver.
Glenn Hirsch, 51, had been released on bail after being charged with the murder of Zhiewn Yan, and was set to appear in court today in relation to the allegations.
A source told DailyMail.com that the accused killer ‘shot himself’ in the hours before the court hearing, and was found dead by police officers.
He was set to appear in connection with the murder of Yan, a father-of-three, who he allegedly shot in the chest while Yan was fulfilling deliveries for a Chinese restaurant on his scooter in Forest Hills.
Hirsch, who was believed to have had several run ins with the restaurant before, is accused of shooting Yan before fleeing the scene on April 30.
His attorney, Michael Horn, said that the case had been closed and ‘abated by death.’
In a statement to DailyMail.com he said: ‘The officers went to Mr. Hirsch’s apartment this morning and found him deceased, apparently through a gunshot wound – self-inflicted.
‘It seems to be suicide, there was a note in which he expressed that he wasn’t guilty, that the process was not treating him fairly.
‘But that is obviously the thoughts of a person who was anxious, depressed, and refused to seek counselling.’
‘Duck sauce killer’ Glenn Hirsch committed suicide just hours before he was set to appear at Queens Supreme court over claims that he shot and killed a Chinese delivery driver in April. Sheriff’s officers discovered him dead at his apartment, alongside a note
A source confirmed to DailyMail.com that the alleged killer had shot himself ahead of a court hearing today. His attorney, Mike Horn (pictured), said that Sheriff’s officers had found his client dead in his apartment
Zhiwen Yan, 45, (pictured) with his wife in what appears to be a wedding photo. Yan, who worked as a Chinese food delivery man, was shot dead in New York City. Hirsch reportedly had ‘multiple’ disputes with the restaurant over his orders and twice threatened workers with a gun
He was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet monitoring him and banned from leaving his neighborhood in Jamaica, Queens, before his death
In a statement Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: ‘The loss of a human life is always tragic.
‘Obviously, we would have preferred to try Mr. Glenn Hirsch for the calculated murder of Mr. Zhiwen Yan in a court of law, but this is no longer an option.
‘We once again express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Zhiwen Yan, who continue to grieve his tragic and senseless loss.’
Police say that Hirsch, who is believed to have been driving an older model of a Lexus RX3 SV at the time, briefly exchange words at a traffic light before Yan was shot near 108th Street and 67th Drive.
At Hirsch’s Briarwood home, cops discovered his refrigerator packed with sweet and sour duck sauce.
‘His whole refrigerator was filled with duck sauce,’ a police source told the New York Daily News. ‘And other condiments.’
‘He’s a hoarder. And when you open the refrigerator, it’s like, condiments – there’s duck sauce, soy sauce, ketchup.’
The source suggested the piles of condiments at his apartment on 141st Street were all a part of what was going on in Hirsch’s brain that may have lead him to kill.
‘I guess in some pathology people like that take that stuff very seriously – you didn’t give him enough duck sauce,’ they said.
Hirsch, who had nine prior arrests on his record, previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
His brother reportedly posted the $500,000 for his bail in a certified check, though attorney Michael Horn says that the money came from his client.
He was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet monitor at all times and remain at his Jamaica home 24 hours a day.
The altercation, police say, saw Yan and the suspect briefly exchange words before he was shot once in the chest near 108th Street and 67th Drive, in what is usually a quiet, close-knit community. Cops are pictured at the crime scene, looking over Yan’s scooter
Dorothy Hirsch, 62, during her arraignment on Monday in Queens Supreme Court. On June 3, Hirsch was arrested after police conducted a raid at her home two days after her husband and fanatic customer, Glenn Hirsch, was charged in the April 30 shooting death of Zhiwen Yan
A photo of the contents of the closet that authorities searched during the June raid at his wife’s home. Dorothy Hirsch, 62, was arraigned on weapons charges after cops raided her home
Eight firearms’ concealed in garbage bags and kept in a closet in the Briarwood home of Dorothy Hirsch, a registered nurse. Dorothy hasn’t lived with her husband, Glenn Hirsch, for years, the attorney said
According to a colleague of Yan’s at Great Wall restaurant, pictured, Hirsch had ‘multiple’ disputes with the Forest Hills eatery, and pulled a gun on staffers last January
Yan, who worked seven days a week and held three jobs to support his family, had been working at the Great Wall restaurant for more than a decade prior to his death, 53-year-old employee Kai Yang told the New York Daily News.
Hirsch was arrested 9 times between 1995 and 2012, but none of them are disclosed as they are sealed. One of the arrests is related to Hirsch committing a robbery with a gun, police sources told the Daily News.
His wife Dorothy Hirsch, 62, pleaded not guilty earlier this week after she was arraigned on weapons charges when cops raided her Briarwood home.
On June 3, Hirsch was arrested after police conducted a raid at her home two days after her husband and alleged killer was charged with shooting Yan.
Her lawyers said that she had not lived with her husband for years, with her attorneys saying the registered nurse is ‘absolutely innocent.’
During the bust authorities seized eight handguns and ammunition from Hirsch’s Briarwood home, officials said.
Police records show the couple live in separate homes with Glenn living in nearby Jamaica.
The District Attorney’s office say in documents that they acknowledge that her husband had access to her apartment.
The guns were discovered in boxes and garbage bags amongst Hirsch’s other belonging in a closet used by him.
‘She is absolutely innocent of possessing any firearms in her apartment certainly with the intent to use unlawfully,’ Hirsch’s attorney, Mark Bederow (pictured left), said. ‘She is a good and decent, law-abiding woman who is being prosecuted merely because she is legally married to the person who is accused of committing a heinous murder.’
Scene at the Great Wall Chinese food restaurant in Forest Hills were a makeshift memorial was set up for murdered delivery man Zhiwen Yan
Mourners left flowers, candles, photos, and drawings at the scene at the Great Wall Chinese food restaurant in Forest Hills for murdered delivery man Zhiwen Yan
A restaurant employee, Soi Chung, 70, told DailyMail.com that Hirsch had ‘multiple’ disputes with staff at the eatery and pulled a gun on staffers during one incident in January.
Another incident last year saw the angry customer become peeved over the amount of duck sauce given to him in one of his orders, spurring a campaign of harassment, vandalism, and threats from the customer.
The most brazen threat from the customer, Chung said, came earlier this year, when Hirsch menacingly waved a gun at the restaurant workers, spurring them to call 911.
Restaurant owner Kai Yang told the Post that the angry customer was put to the ground by employees, which included Yan, shortly after he came inside with the firearm.
Yan leaves behind a wife and three children, aged two, 12, and 14, with his wife, Kunying Zhao. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support the family.
His nephew, Michael, said: ‘This was a father of three children working three jobs – all food delivery.
‘He came here in 2001. He has been in this country over 20 years.’
‘It’s unacceptable that this happened. This is a very peaceful community. This never happened, this kind of issue.’
Despite Yan’s colleagues’ claims concerning Hirsch’s threatening behavior, it is currently unclear if the delivery man was a specific target.
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