Harlem Burger King Shooting: GoFundMe Opens For Cashier's Funeral

EAST HARLEM, NY — Days after a teenage cashier was shot and killed by a man trying to rob an East Harlem Burger King, neighbors are still trying to make sense of the tragedy.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe has been launched to cover funeral expenses for 19-year-old Kristal Bayron-Nieves — raising more than $3,800 of its $10,000 goal as of Monday afternoon.

"As we devastatingly mourn our loss, we ask for you to donate so we can lay our Kristal to a peaceful rest," wrote the organizer, family friend Nathalie Pagan.

Kristal Bayron Nieves was murdered by a shooter. She should still be alive today.

I am here to offer my support to curb gun violence and hope that her killer is brought to justice. Honored and saddened to gather with friends and family on 1-9-22. pic.twitter.com/r1Hs7iXOU2
— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) January 10, 2022

According to police, the shooting happened around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, when a masked man burst into the Burger King on East 116th Street between Third and Lexington avenues.

The unidentified gunman reportedly pistol-whipped a customer and punched another employee before firing his gun, hitting Bayron-Nieves in the torso, according to police.

Community leaders have come together to denounce the shooting and mourn Bayron-Nieves, who lived just a few blocks from the restaurant. Among them was East Harlem City Councilmember Diana Ayala, who said Bayron-Nieves was her nephew's cousin.

I am just so angry. Kristal Bayron-Nieves was my nephews cousin. She was an only child and just 19 years old. Her family moved to NYC a few years ago in search of a better future. Please keep her mother in prayer.https://t.co/chPrUT5NUp
— Diana Ayala (@DianaAyalaNYC) January 9, 2022

"I am just so angry," Ayala tweeted. "She was an only child and just 19 years old. Her family moved to NYC a few years ago in search of a better future."

Police are still looking for the gunman, who can be seen in surveillance footage dressed in black, carrying a plastic bag and wielding the firearm. He fled west down East 116th Street, after the shooting, police said.

Previous coverage: Teen Cashier Killed In East Harlem Burger King Robbery: Police