In the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, a dispute over a cigar tragically escalated, leading to the death of 37-year-old Nazim Berry, a male bodega worker. On the afternoon of February 26, 2024, at the Amin Deli and Grocery on Franklin Avenue, a man asked Berry for a free cigar. When Berry refused, an argument broke out. The man left the store only to return shortly after brandishing a gun. A struggle over the weapon followed, and Berry was fatally shot in the head.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The senseless act of violence sent ripples of shock and grief through the community where Berry was known as a kind and helpful man. Friends and neighbors remembered him as a quiet and humble individual who worked in local stores to make extra money and was never known to be a troublemaker. In the days following the shooting, a makeshift memorial of candles and flowers grew outside the deli, a testament to the community's sorrow. The United Bodegas of America offered a $10,000 reward for information that would lead to the capture of the person responsible.
Following an investigation, the New York Police Department identified a suspect. On March 6, 2024, police arrested 29-year-old Daquan David in connection with the fatal shooting. David was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. A year after the tragic event, family and friends gathered for a vigil to honor Berry's memory, still mourning the profound loss of a loved one over a seemingly trivial disagreement.
