‘Duck Sauce Killer’ suspect wins some freedom after posting $500,000 bail
By Carl Samson
Glenn Hirsch, the man from Queens, New York, who was accused of fatally shooting Chinese food delivery worker Zhiwen Yan, was released from jail after posting a $500,000 bail on Monday.
Hirsch, 51, was arrested on June 1 for the shooting near 108th Street and 67th Drive at around 9:30 p.m. on April 30. Yan, 45, was making a delivery for the restaurant Great Wall in Forest Hills, where he had been employed for over a decade.
Hirsch’s brother, Lee, reportedly posted the bail amount with a certified check. But Hirsch’s lawyer, Michael Horn, said the money came from Hirsch himself.
Queens Criminal Court Judge Kenneth Holder ordered Hirsch to wear an ankle monitor and stay at home for 24 hours a day, save for an hour of exercise and visits to his lawyer, doctor and the court.
Hirsch, a Great Wall patron, has been dubbed the “Duck Sauce Killer.” Investigators said the fatal shooting stemmed from a duck sauce dispute between Hirsch and the restaurant’s staff that occurred back in November and triggered a series of disturbing encounters.
At the time, Hirsch asked the restaurant for more duck sauce after already taking an entire bin. While staff members fulfilled his request, he still demanded a refund and called the police when they refused to return his money.
Since then, Hirsch has allegedly targeted restaurant staff members, including owner Kai Yang. On Jan. 28, employees — including Yan — reportedly caught him slashing Yang’s vehicle and then tackled him.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called Hirsch’s demand for more duck sauce an “obsessive point of contention.” A police search in Hirsch’s home revealed that his entire refrigerator was full of duck sauce and other condiments.
Holder also ordered Hirsch to stay away from Great Wall, its delivery zone and “the entire area encompassing the crime scene.” Additionally, he is barred from buying guns, leaving the city and going within a mile of any point of entry.
The judge reminded Hirsch that, in addition to authorities, local community members will be watching him. “There are enough people apparently around who just hate you that I’m sure they’re going to take a picture of you, if they see you in an area where you should not be and send it to the court,” Holder said.
Hirsch previously pleaded not guilty to murder and weapon possession charges. Horn maintained his client’s innocence on Monday.
“Our position is that he’s not the guy who did this, that that person is still out there,” Horn said outside the courthouse. “And we’re going to try and find that person as much as anybody else.”
A GoFundMe campaign set up for Yan’s three children last month managed to collect $154,160. His wife, Kunying Zhao, is still raising funds for her late husband in a separate campaign.
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