A Queens grand jury declined to indict a homeless man charged with fatally stabbing a teenager during a fight over a seat at a Flushing internet cafe last month.
Paul Kim, 51, was facing charges of manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the April 26 killing of Yangpu Fan, 19, at the K&D Internet Cafe located at 38-19 Union St.
A spokesperson for Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown confirmed a NY1 report on May 14 that the grand jury failed to pass an indictment against Kim, making him a free man. The district attorney’s office declined to comment on the matter, as it cannot discuss details related to grand jury proceedings.
According to law enforcement sources, Kim got into a fight with Fan inside the internet cafe about 9:43 p.m. on April 26. The dispute started at Fan, who was with a group of friends at the time, asked Kim to move from his seat so they could all sit together.
The request ultimately boiled into an argument, during which Kim allegedly stabbed Fan in the torso. Fan was brought by private means to NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens hospital, where he died a short time later.
Officers from the 109th Precinct learned about the stabbing while responding to the hospital, then visited the cafe, where they found Kim and placed him in custody. Officers also recovered at the scene the knife allegedly used in the deadly assault.
The 109th Precinct Detective Squad booked Kim following questioning; he had been held in custody without bail.
