Brooklyn bodega shooter wanted in death of worker

 

Police are seeking a man accused of fatally shooting a Brooklyn bodega worker in the head after the worker refused to give him a free cigar.

Nazim Berry, 37, was shot inside a bodega on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights shortly after 4 p.m. According to accounts provided to investigators and family, the confrontation began when Berry declined to hand over a complimentary cigar. The man left, later returned with a gun, and a struggle followed. During the struggle, the gunman fired a shot into the side of Berry’s head.

Berry was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, where he was pronounced dead. He had worked at the bodega for years and lived nearby with his grandmother. His mother said he had never had problems at the store before.

The suspect was described as having cornrow braids and dark skin. He was last seen wearing a black-and-white jacket, black jeans, and black sneakers. The NYPD released additional photographs of the man in an effort to generate tips from the public.

Bodega workers across the city have faced repeated violence over small disputes, unpaid items, or simple refusals. When a disagreement over a free cigar ends in a fatal shooting, it highlights both the thin margin of safety many workers operate under and the willingness of some individuals to respond to minor conflicts with lethal force.

Berry was remembered as a longtime employee who lived in the neighborhood and supported his family. The loss of a worker inside the store where he had spent years on the job left both relatives and the local community searching for answers and for the person responsible.

Police continue to seek the gunman. Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD or Crime Stoppers. The investigation remains focused on identifying and locating the man shown in the released images so that he can be held accountable for the killing of Nazim Berry.