After two brutal incidents inside Bronx bodegas within a mere two-day frame, which left the local working community shaken, the United Bodegas Workers of America (UBA) are urgently campaigning for the introduction of direct response panic buttons and real-time NYPD surveillance in each city corner store. The UBA leadership congregated at a stark example of this necessity — the Ameer Deli at 4966 Broadway, site of a fierce altercation which resulted in one fatality and sent two to the hospital Wednesday night.
Proposing the installation of mandatory panic buttons in city bodegas, the union advocates for a safety measure that would establish an immediate connection between a triggered panic alert and the NYPD’s master command facility. This proposed system bypasses conventional 911 call centers with the intention to significantly decrease response times during emergencies.
The Ameer Deli tragedy unfolded Wednesday night as a verbal argument between three men inside the store escalated into a deadly knife fight. According to sources, a 24-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the neck, while two more men — aged 21 and 20 — sustained nonfatal injuries.
Regretfully, the absence of a panic button in the Ameer Deli potentially contributed to loss of life, as a UBA representative highlighted. The representative expressed a poignant plea for urgent action: ‘The impact of not having a panic button in this bodega was a lost life. Panic buttons are not a luxury but a crucial necessity in all stores, with real-time NYPD monitoring required. How many more people must perish before the city takes action?’
The UBA, in collaboration with public safety tech firm SaferWatch, launched a preliminary program last June that placed 50 panic buttons in selected high-crime venues. However, the UBA spokesperson reported inconsistency in response times, attributing the delays to unsatisfactory integration with NYPD central command.
The delays in police response, according to the UBA spokesperson, are a result of the lack of direct connection to the NYPD’s command center. The spokesperson shared, ‘Any slowness in police response, or lack thereof, results from our alerts not linking directly to the NYPD’s main control center. In an optimal situation, a pressed button would activate the store cameras, allowing the police to immediately observe the situation.’
Events at the Ameer Deli followed a similar violent incident in a Williamsbridge, Bronx bodega, where a 20-year-old lost his life in a separate shooting. The proprietors of both establishments are consequently apprehensive and anxious for improved safety protocols.
In reaction to these incidents, the UBA President emphasized the gravity of the situation. ‘Our stores are in constant peril. We face repeated assaults. The implementation of panic buttons in every bodega is imperative, and the NYPD must react to these alarms as the life-threatening emergencies they truly are.’
The UBA has highlighted Mayoral support from Eric Adams for the panic button initiative, but expressed dissatisfaction with other local and state officials for not delivering on their commitments. In May, Governor Kathy Hochul passed protections tailored to frontline retail employees and small business owners to curb theft, including a $5 million tax credit towards security enhancements.
However, UBA officials voiced frustration over the apparent gap between promises and action. ‘Our lawmakers and governor need to govern responsibly. They need to fulfill their obligations to the small businesses of New York City. Promising a $5 million tax break is not a solution. What we need is funding, not tax cuts — funding that can help save lives, including the lives of those who put these officials in power.’
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