A deli worker in New York City, tragically shot outside his family’s bodega following a late-night altercation with a notorious troublemaker, made a poignant plea to his brother as he lay dying: to care for his children.

Abdul Saleh, a 28-year-old father of two, shared these heartbreaking last words with his brother after being shot outside Sal’s Deli and Grocery in the East Village late on Saturday night, according to a relative who spoke with The Post.

“Before he passed away, he said, ‘Just take care of my kids,'” recounted Saleh’s devastated cousin, Basam Hussain.

“That was his message, ‘Just take care of my kids,'” Hussain reiterated.

Saleh had recently returned from a trip to Yemen, where he visited his wife, a 3-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old son, just before the tragic incident, his cousin explained.

During that visit, he had the joy of meeting his son for the first time.

Then, 24 hours after touching back down in the US, Saleh was gunned down.

He had been working a shift at the family-run store when the alleged gunman, Kavone Horton, 28 — who had previously stolen from the store and harassed workers there — came in at about 11:30 p.m.

The problem patron allegedly opened fire after an argument spilled out onto the street, cops said.

Saleh suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.

The alleged gunman was wounded, too, when one of his bullets ricocheted and struck him, police sources said.

The horror slaying unfolded after workers at the deli had already filed a slew of police reports about the suspect’s history of menacing behavior, the victim’s cousin said.

“He’d want stuff for free,” Hussain claimed. “Take, grab, and go, and always try to fight with them.”

Horton has since been charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession.