Following two fatal incidents last week, the United Bodegas of America (UBA) is once again calling for all grocery stores in New York City to install “emergency buttons” and for the police to be responsible for real-time monitoring.
Last Wednesday (April 16th) night, 24-year-old Anthony Diaz was fatally stabbed at Ameer Deli grocery store in the Inwood community of Manhattan, with two others injured and hospitalized. About an hour later, in another grocery store in the Williamsbridge community of the Bronx, 38-year-old Preston White was shot dead.
According to Gothamist, UBA pointed out that the Inwood grocery store where the incident occurred did not have an emergency button installed. If such a device was in place, the police could have arrived on the scene more quickly or potentially prevented the tragedy.
“Our stores are not safe, we are being attacked time and time again, and now is not the time for discussion. Every grocery store must be equipped with an emergency button, and the police must treat every button alarm as a matter of life and death,” said UBA President Radhames Rodriguez in a statement.
This is not the first time UBA has advocated for the installation of emergency buttons. As early as last year, they proposed a similar initiative following several violent incidents.
Currently, there is a bill in the New York State Assembly known as the “Bodega Act of 2025,” introduced by Bronx Assemblyman George Alvarez, which includes providing grants for grocery stores, convenience stores, and food markets to install emergency buttons and surveillance cameras to enhance crime prevention.
On the New York City Council side, a bill was proposed last year to fund small businesses in purchasing and installing emergency buttons, but the bill did not pass through the committee’s review.