An Arizona man jumped out of a freezer and allegedly attacked employees at a New York City restaurant Sunday morning before dying of an apparent heart attack, WABC reported.
"Away from me, Satan!" witnesses said a man yelled as he jumped from the freezer at Sarabeth's in Manhattan and lunged at employees with a knife as they prepared for the brunch crowd, The New York Daily News reported.
After workers opened the restaurant Sunday morning, they opened the walk-in freezer in the back of the establishment. That's when a 54-year-old man jumped out and began fighting with the stunned employees, who were able to subdue him, WABC reported.
Police said when the man hit the ground he suffered a medical condition and was taken to a hospital where he died, WPIX reported.
Andres Venaegan, who works at a restaurant next door, said he had gone to Sarabeth’s to ask for some change when he noticed the employees were upset.
"You don't expect this at your job," Vanaegan told the Daily News. "You go into the freezer, and when you see someone coming out ... It's like opening a closet and seeing someone come out like in a horror movie. You'll get scared."
Police said the man's identity was being withheld pending notification of his family. Police did not know why the man was in the freezer or how long he had been there, the Daily News reported.
“Our team handled this situation bravely and ethically,” Sarabeth’s said in a statement.
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