Great Wall Reopens After Worker Shooting; NYPD Investigation Continues

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — A Chinese restaurant in Forest Hills that closed in the wake of a longtime delivery worker's killing reopened Thursday.

Great Wall Chinese restaurant — where Zhiwen Yan, 45, worked delivery before he was gunned down mid-shift Saturday — is open for takeout and walk-in dining for the first time since the shooting, an employee told Patch. The Queens Boulevard restaurant, though, isn't offering delivery as of Thursday for reasons that the employee wouldn't specify.

As of this week, Yan's murder is still under investigation and no arrests have been made, the NYPD said. Law enforcement sources, though, told multiple outlets that a disgruntled customer is wanted for questioning in connection to the shooting.

The 50-year-old customer in question menaced Great Wall staff with a gun, vandalized their vehicles and harassed them outside of the restaurant after a duck sauce dispute last year, the New York Post reported.

Neighbors in Forest Hills have rallied to support Yan's family in the wake of his death, donating to a GoFundMe on behalf of his wife and three children.

On the fundraising page, Yan's wife remembers him as a "hardworking delivery man [who] always provided for his family."

Community members also commemorated Yan, some leaving flowers and cards at a memorial outside of Great Wall, NBC reported.

"He was someone everyone knew and loved and he was kind of a symbol of community for the neighborhood," neighbor Matthew Murray told the outlet of Yan. "He was just always excited to see you and he would just shout 'hi my friend' across Queens Boulevard. Knowing that I'll never hear that again from him is very upsetting."

Great Wall owner Kai Yang told PIX11 that Yan's presence is also notably missing at the restaurant.

"We have been together ten years. We were like a family really," Yang told the outlet.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, who visited the Yan family the day after the shooting, issued a call for justice in the wake of his death.

"This delivery worker was working hard, trying to earn a living to support his family when he was senselessly shot and killed," she said. "The person responsible must face justice."

Yan's killing comes shortly after another murder in the 112th Precinct, a usually low-crime area of Queens encompassing Forest Hills and Rego Park.

Last month, Orsolya Gaal, a Forest Hills mother, was stabbed to death over 50 times; her mutilated body later found in a duffel bag by Forest Park. David Bonola, Gaal's handyman and on-and-off lover, stands accused of her murder.

Related Articles:

• Disgruntled Customer Sought In Delivery Worker's Murder: Reports
• Delivery Worker Shot Dead In Forest Hills, Officials Say