Detroit community mourns after woman was stabbed to death during a work break

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Loved ones and the community are preparing to honor the life of 34-year-old Jaquoya Wix, the woman stabbed to death outside a Chipotle in downtown Detroit while on her lunch break.

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FOX 2 talked to businesses in the area, and one of them is where the man who helped apprehend the suspect works. He got off early because it was a slow day, went to the alley and that’s when he saw what happened.

"It’s tragic, and we see it all the time," said Chef Christina Stanco. "We just don’t see it in this capacity. One of the staff members here was actually involved and saw the whole thing happen, and we are concerned for now his mental health and how he’s going to cope."

"Honestly, it’s really messed up," said Justin Hernandez Ramos. "But it was just really sad, and it was on her lunch break, right? Yeah, that’s messed up."

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The tragic incident raised concerns about safety, not just for those visiting downtown Detroit, but for the people who work at the many businesses that bring in those visitors.

"Mainly here they’re mainly aggressive, but we deal with it. It’s okay. We don’t get physical. We just tell them we can help them out and if we can, we try."

"We see it all day long. They wander into here and mental health is a serious issue. They need the help. They need help. They need to seek help and we need a safe place for them to be," said Christina Stanco. "We owe it as a community to help these people so that they’re not a danger to someone. A mother, a daughter."

What's next:

On Monday night, loved ones are holding a vigil to honor the victim, 34-year-old Jaquoya Wix, right outside of Chipotle.

Crime and Public SafetyDetroit