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Burger King employee Kristal Bayron-Nieves was shot dead earlier this month while working the night shift at a store in East Harlem, New York City.
The masked gunman, identified as Winston Glynn, reportedly walked inside the fast-food store and demanded cash while keeping Kristal at gunpoint. The latter allegedly handed $100 to the suspect, but he shot her in the torso.
The 19-year-old was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to the gunshot wound. Following Kristal’s tragic demise, her family organized a GoFundMe campaign and received more than $40,000 donations. The money will be used to fund the teenager’s funeral and memorial expenses.
A look into the Burger King shooting incident
On January 9, 2022, Winston Glynn entered a Burger King joint situated in Upper Manhattan for armed robbery. He reportedly hit a male customer with a pistol, punched a store manager, and pointed a gun towards cashier Kristal Bayron-Nieves while asking for money.
The cashier gave the gunman $100 from the register but asked for more. Kristal attempted to open another register but failed to find the key. Shortly after, the robber fired a single shot towards the cashier and fled the scene with another injured manager’s phone.
Kristal was shot near her chest and pronounced dead by authorities before being identified by her family. Her mother, Kristie Nieves, told The Daily News that her daughter was scared to work the night shift at Burger King.
The grieving mother also mentioned that she “feels guilty” for forcing Kristal to work on the night of the incident. She also said that her daughter’s night shift was set to end just five days after the shooting.
The victim’s co-worker Samantha Martinez told The New York Post that workers are not safe at the East Harlem Burger King joint:
“We really don’t have any safety in here. All the Burger Kings have security. They see how bad it is in here … they never got security for us at all. I was on the phone with her when she was gonna change her shift. I told her to change it because that was my fear — me and her was the youngest ones in here and they have us working so late, almost midnight.”
Samantha also mentioned that Kristal’s colleagues are scared of returning to the Burger King store in question. The victim’s family has reportedly planned to file a lawsuit against the company. However, Burger King has maintained its silence over the issue.
Meanwhile, police tracked down Winston Glynn with the help of surveillance video and arrested him in Brooklyn. He has been charged with “first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, criminal use of a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon” in connection to the incident.
Although the convict and the victim did not know each other before, Glynn previously worked at the same Burger King joint where he carried out the armed robbery. It was also revealed that he had a history of legal troubles since 2017.
A look into Winston Glynn’s criminal records
Winston Glynn is reportedly a homeless Jamaican immigrant and a former Burger King employee. According to The Daily Mail, he was first arrested in 2017 on charges of “criminal mischief” for breaking the screen of a slot machine at the Resort World Casino in Queens.
He was charged with “criminal possession of a weapon and menacing” for threatening a 45-year-old woman with a knife in Brooklyn.
In 2020, Glynn was arrested for assaulting a man in Midtown Manhattan following a verbal confrontation. He reportedly battered the victim and left him with a black eye. Police also found a knife with the suspect and he was charged with “criminal possession of a weapon.”
In November 2021, Glynn threatened another man at a homeless shelter in Queens. He allegedly held a screwdriver and threatened to “stab” the man with the weapon. He was charged with “menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment.”
Winston Glynn’s shelter roommate Tyrique Brisco told The New York Post that the formerly used substance and claimed he “saw demons,” but he was “not a bad dude.”
“He [Glynn] had a lot of issues with him with seeing demons and stuff like that. He smoked crack and he used to see things. But he wasn’t a bad dude.”
Tyrique was reportedly shocked that his former roommate was capable of murder. Meanwhile, NYPD Chief Kenneth Corey suspected Glynn had a mental illness.
About Kristal Bayron-Nieves
Kristal Bayron-Nieves moved to New York from Puerto Rico with her family after Hurricane Maria in 2017. She started working at the Upper Manhattan Burger King joint just three weeks before being fatally shot at the store.
Her friend Nathalie Pagan told The Daily News that Kristal wanted to save money to buy a car:
"She was still growing up. She was working for what she wants right now, and that was a car."
The 19-year-old reportedly lived just five blocks away from her workplace. A makeshift memorial was organized outside the closed Burger King joint with flowers, candles, and soft toys.
As per The New York Post, Kristal’s mother, Kristie Nieves broke down in tears while seeking justice for her deceased daughter during an ongoing memorial service:
“Thank you everyone and everyone who supported me including my family. The only thing I want is justice for my daughter. And maybe she is not the first one but I do hope she is the last one.”
Kristal leaves behind her parents, relatives, friends and colleagues. A small vigil for the teenager has been arranged at the Manhattan Funeral Service. Her remains will be transported to Puerto Rico for burial.
