In the Bronx, what began as a simple coffee run on March 18, 2022, tragically ended in the death of 26-year-old Stephen Stuart. A Black man originally from Jamaica, Stuart had moved to New York only three months prior and was working at a restaurant to support his mother and two sisters back home. The fatal encounter started inside a Dunkin' Donuts near Gun Hill Road and Holland Avenue.
A dispute arose when a female customer, later identified as 18-year-old Santiana Rodriguez, accused
Stuart of standing too close to her in line. According to police, Rodriguez cut the line and told Stuart and his friend to back off, citing concerns about COVID-19. Following the argument, Rodriguez called her boyfriend. When Stuart and his friend left the shop, they were followed by Rodriguez and a man. An argument ensued between the men, during which the man allegedly told Rodriguez to 'get his gun.' Shortly after Stuart and his friend separated, Stuart was shot in the torso. He was found unconscious and unresponsive at 3559 Holland Avenue and was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In the wake of the shooting, the New York Police Department investigated the incident, utilizing surveillance footage from inside the Dunkin' Donuts, which reportedly showed no physical contact between Stuart and Rodriguez. In April 2022, authorities arrested Santiana Rodriguez in connection with the homicide and charged her with murder. At the time of her arrest, her boyfriend, who was with her during the confrontation, remained at large.
