Burger King Employee Killed by Alleged Gunman During Robbery

A 19-year-old Burger King employee was killed after she reportedly handed cash to an alleged thief and gunman.

Last week, the New York Times reports that Winston Glynn — who police say entered the fast food restaurant on 116th Street in East Harlem shortly after midnight on January 9 — has been arrested and charged with the murder of staffer Kristal Bayron-Nieves.

As seen in surveillance video posted by the New York Police Department, a gunman wearing a black ski mask pulls out a gun on Bayron-Nieves and demands money.

The New York Post says the victim reportedly handed over $100.

However, officials say via the Times that when Bayron-Nieves crouched behind a counter and struggled to find the key to open a machine containing more money, the suspect shot her once in the chest. She later died at Metropolitan Hospital.

In addition to first-degree murder, Glynn has been charged with robbery and criminal use of a firearm. It is unclear if he has entered a plea or if he has retained an attorney.

Per the Post, authorities are trying to determine whether Glynn, who has allegedly seen “demons,” suffers from mental illness.

“That could be an issue here,” Kenneth Corey, NYPD’s chief of department, said at a news conference on Friday. “Maybe he’s a person who, had he gotten services earlier on, we could have saved this woman’s life.”

The outlet also alleges that prior to shooting Bayron-Nieves, the suspect pistol-whipped a male customer and punched a female manager in the face.

“[Bayron-Nieves] give him the money and everything,” family friend Nathalie Pagan told the Daily News. ”She didn’t even do nothing wrong.”

While speaking to the Post, Pagan said Bayron-Nieves’ mother, Kristie Nieves, told her daughter to go to work even though she was afraid to do so.

According to Pagan, the mother said that Bayron-Nieves told her, “I don’t want to go. I’m scared.”

Now, Pagan says Nieves “feels guilty about” their conversation, presumably one of their last.

Pagan also told the Daily News that Bayron-Nieves had just earned her G.E.D. and was working toward buying a car.

“She was still growing up,” Pagan said. “She was working for what she wants right now, and that was a car.”

The Daily News also said Bayron-Nieves and her family had moved to New York from Puerto Rico a few years ago.

Earlier this month, Pagan organized a GoFundMe to help Bayron-Nieves’ family pay for funeral expenses.

“As we devastatingly mourn our loss, we ask for you to donate so we can lay our Kristal to a peaceful rest. Anything is appreciated,” she wrote.

As of this writing, the page has raised over $42K — surpassing its $10K goal.