An Uber Eats delivery driver is currently sought by NYPD after an altercation that took place on Thanksgiving Eve outside a Bronx jewelry shop turned violent. The Abreu sisters, owners of Jazmin Jewelry located in Kingsbridge Heights, reported that they requested their $68 Uber Eats delivery be brought inside, a standard procedure they've come to expect. According to The New York Post, the situation rapidly escalated when the driver refused to enter, prompting one sister to confront him.
Camil Abreu, working part-time at the store, recalled the delivery man getting close as if to fight, saying, "He starts, like, making fun [of me], getting close to me, like he’s trying to square up with me, like, he’s trying to throw punches as soon as I said something," as she told The New York Post. During the fray, Stiverlyn was struck and lost consciousness, subsequently suffering from a concussion. Despite the attack, the assailant departed with their groceries, including items such as milk, cooked salami jamonada, plantains, and two rolls of Bounty paper towels among others.
The probe into the incident continued with the NYPD disseminating surveillance footage of the individual in question. Described as roughly 5-foot-9, with a slim build, long braided hair, and a beard, clad in a blue Yankee hat, a blue jacket, blue jeans, and white and black sneakers, the suspect remains at large. Uber, in response to the incident, immediately removed the driver from their platform and stated that "Violence of any kind is not tolerated on the Uber platform," as per an announcement to The New York Post. The company is said to be cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the violence has instilled a palpable fear in the victims, with the sisters asserting to CBS News New York a reluctance to even attend work. "I’m only taking cabs right now. I don’t really want to take the train or, like, go outside," Camil Abreu mentioned, when contemplating the encounter that disrupted her sense of safety. The suspect, prior to fleeing, allegedly warned he would return and kill her, leaving behind a threat that has since overshadowed their daily lives. Despite the trepidation, Jazmin Abreu unequivocally stated, "We have to work," underlining the harsh reality of necessity even amidst fears for personal safety.
