Kristal Bayron-Nieves is the 19-year-old Burger King worker who was shot and killed by a robber during her late-night shift on Sunday, January 9. As of January 12, the gunman had not been identified.
The shooting happened around 12:45 a.m. at the Burger King located at 154 East 116 Street in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, police said.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Kristal Bayron-Nieves Handed Over Cash but the Suspect Shot Her Anyway, a Witness Said
GoFundMeKristal Bayron-Nieves.
The suspect entered the Burger King before 1 a.m. on January 9 and demanded money, police said. He also “pistol-whipped a male customer before punching a female manager in the face,” the New York Post reported, citing a police source.
Bayron-Nieves complied with the gunman’s demands and handed him $100 from the cash register, according to a family member cited by the Post. That was all the money in the register at the time, the New York Daily News reported.
But the suspect shot Bayron-Nieves in the torso before fleeing the restaurant, PIX-11 reported.
Bayron-Nieves was rushed to Metropolitan Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
A memorial has been set up outside the Burger King, CBS New York reported.
2. Police Released Surveillance Video of the Suspect
NYC: We need your help. On 1/9 at 12:47 am inside 154 East 116 St in Manhattan, he displayed a firearm & demanded money. During the robbery, he discharged the gun, striking & killing the 19-year-old female. Have info? Call @NYPDTips at 800-577-TIPS or DM them.
The Burger King was equipped with a surveillance camera that recorded that gunman. He was wearing a black mask at the time of the robbery.
Despite the mask, the NYPD is hoping someone will recognize him anyway. The department released surveillance footage to the public and has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
The video shows the man pointing a gun at the Burger King workers in his right hand while holding a bag in his left hand. The workers in the video are blurred and the NYPD did not include the moment of the shooting.
3. Bayron-Nieves Told Family She Felt Scared on the Night Shift & Had Requested a Change
Bayron-Nieves didn’t like working the night shift at Burger King because she felt afraid for her safety, WABC-TV reported. She had asked to be switched to a daytime shift.
But the shooting happened days before that change could take effect. Her mother told the New York Daily News that her daughter was supposed to start working a daytime shift beginning on Friday, January 14.
Nathalie Pagan, a friend of the family, told the Daily News that Bayron-Rieves’ mother is coping with guilt over her daughter’s death. Bayron-Rieves didn’t want to go to work but her mother told her, “You gotta be responsible and you gotta go because you’re on the schedule already,” according to Pagan.
4. Bayron-Nieves Moved to NYC From Puerto Rico With Her Mother & Brother 2 Years Ago
Bayron-Nieves was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She moved to New York City with her mother and teenage brother two years ago, according to the New York Daily News.
She had recently earned her GED. Her next goal had been to save enough money to buy a car, Pagan told the Daily News.
Bayron-Nieves had been working at the Burger King for only about three weeks when she was killed, the New York Post reported. According to NBC New York, Bayron-Nieves lived in the same neighborhood where the Burger King is located.
5. The Family Plans to Bury Bayron-Nieves in Puerto Rico
A nineteen year old girl was shot and killed yesterday in East Harlem while doing her job. Think about her family and what they’re going through today.
Guns are destroying lives in our city. This is personal to me. We’re building a team to end gun violence in our city.
Pagan started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Bayron-Nieves’ family. According to the page, the family wishes to bury Bayron-Nieves in Puerto Rico. As of this writing, hundreds of people had donated more than $18,000.
Bayron-Nieves’ cousin, Kiara Fuentes, commented to CBS New York, “Kristal didn’t deserve this. She did not wake up thinking she wouldn’t make it back home. This is hurting our family so much and we just want justice for her already.”
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