Man Dies After Threatening UWS Sarabeth’s Staff With Kitchen Knife

The original Upper West Side location of popular brunch chain Sarabeth’s had a frightening incident happen over the weekend: A man somehow ended up in the walk-in freezer, started swinging a knife at staff, and then died at the hospital later.

The Post reports that the man ran out of the freezer around 11 a.m., screaming phrases such as, “Away from me, Satan.” He then threatened staff with a kitchen knife. The staff managed to disarm him, but shortly after, the 54-year-old man became unconscious and ultimately died at the hospital. Police sources tell the Post that he may have cut himself and was having “a medical episode.”

The restaurant, located at 423 Amsterdam Ave. between 80th and 81st streets, has been in the neighborhood for close to 30 years and has since expanded to four other locations, serving American comfort food and burgers. Locals seemed shocked that the wild incident happened in the neighborhood restaurant.

It’s not clear how the man got into the freezer.

• Disturbed man dead after leaping out of restaurant freezer, threatening staff with knife [NYP]