NYC Burger King killing: Family expresses anger, reward grows to $20K

Anti-violence rally

An anti-violence rally was held outside an East Harlem Burger King where a gunman fatally shot Kristal Bayron-Nieves, 19, a cashier.

NEW YORK - 19-year-old Kristal Bayron-Nieves was at the cash register on Sunday morning of an East Harlem when an armed man came in to rob the restaurant. She handed over $100 and he fatally shot her in the stomach before taking off west on East 116th Street.

EMS rushed Bayron-Nieves to Metropolitan Hospital but it was too late to save her life.

A rally was held Tuesday evening in front of the Burger King where she was killed. The Group Save East Harlem held a "shooting response" event in front of the restaurant on 116th St. and Lexington Ave.

The victim's family says she had feared for her life working the overnight shift. The morning she was shot she was ending what was going to be her last night working that shift.

They expressed anger that she was shot even after handing over the cash to the gunman.

So far, no arrests have been made in the case. The NYPD released surveillance video footage of the suspect, who is described as a man with a dark complexion and slim build, and was last seen wearing a black mask, all black clothing, and possibly carrying a black plastic bag.

There is now a $20,000 reward in the case. $10,000 comes from NYPD Crime Stoppers. Billionaire mogul John Catsimatidis is also offering a $10,000 reward in the case.

Harlem Burger King worker

19-year-old Kristal Bayron-Nieves was working the cash register at a Burger King in East Harlem early Sunday morning.

Mayor Eric Adams, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and several other people spoke at the rally.

A GoFundMe has been set up to pay for funeral costs for Bayron-Nieves. It had raised more than $18,000 by Wednesday, which is above the initial goal of $10,000.