DETROIT — While taking a break in the alley behind her workplace, an employee of a Chipotle restaurant on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit was stabbed several times and killed in broad daylight on Sunday, in view of passersby.

Although Detroit police quickly identified and arrested the assailant with the help of the many surveillance cameras in the area, the brutality of the apparently random attack soon cast a shadow over downtown, which has spent years trying to improve its reputation as a safe and welcoming place for visitors.

Those concerned fear that the fatal stabbing of 34-year-old mother Jaquoya Wix will likely reinforce the prevailing perception that downtown is unsafe, whether or not that perception is accurate.

The tragic stabbing has already dominated news headlines as city government and businesses, which have poured billions of dollars into downtown over the years, continue trying to attract suburban residents who have been reluctant to visit Detroit because of its history of violence.

Although downtown today is filled with theaters, sports venues, restaurants and bars, suburban residents spent decades avoiding the city because of Detroit’s reputation as a center of crime and drugs. Wix’s stabbing has reinforced that negative impression of downtown: A worker could be killed in broad daylight in an alley beside one of its most important and busiest streets.

As Wix drew widespread sympathy, reflected in the tens of thousands of dollars raised to support the needs of her 15-year-old daughter, Kacya, officials moved quickly to address the crime’s consequences and its negative effect on downtown’s image.

Officials acknowledged that violent crimes downtown have a substantial and disproportionate effect on public perceptions of safety in the city.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield said Wix was on a break from her job at the Chipotle restaurant on Woodward Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. when a man stabbed her several times in the alley behind the restaurant.

While Chipotle closed its doors in mourning, Detroit police officials said the suspect was arrested near Woodward Avenue and State Street after being spotted on surveillance cameras.

The mayor’s office said Bedrock helped with the arrest. Its sister company, Rock Security, operates a network of surveillance cameras downtown.

Mourners gather at the site in downtown Detroit where Jaquoya Wix was killed. Inset: The accused, Devon Jason Watson.

Mental illness

By Wednesday, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office had charged the suspect, 42-year-old Devon Jason Watson, with first-degree premeditated murder. The court denied him bond.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Wix’s killing may appear to have been random, but that did not mean her office could not prove a charge of premeditated murder against the suspect in court.

Although Watson and Wix did not know each other, Worthy said at a news conference Wednesday that Watson had planned the crime before carrying it out.

Worthy said Wix was found with multiple stab wounds and bleeding heavily as others rushed to help her. At least one person chased Watson.

Immediately after stabbing Wix, the suspect fled north on foot, carrying the weapon in a yellow bag. A person working in the area followed and chased him before police officers intercepted, surrounded and arrested him without resistance.

The first-degree premeditated murder charge against Watson follows reports that he had a mental illness. He had been hospitalized in July for “acute psychosis” and diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.

After examining him, a doctor wrote in a medical report that it could “reasonably be expected in the near future” that the man would cause serious physical harm to himself or others, intentionally or unintentionally, and that he had committed an act or acts, or made serious threats, that substantially supported that expectation.

Worthy declined to comment on Watson’s mental state at the time of the crime but said that “just because someone may have mental health issues does not mean they are completely absolved of responsibility for their actions.”

A reputation at stake

“An incident of this nature is naturally concerning, but it does not reflect the overall safety of downtown Detroit,” Detroit Police Media Relations Director Jasmine Barmore said. “The area remains a safe and vibrant destination for thousands of people who live, work and visit here every day.

“Police continue to maintain a strong, visible presence throughout downtown and residential neighborhoods, working closely with our public safety and community partners to ensure people can enjoy our city safely,” she added.

According to the Detroit Police Department, downtown property crimes fell from 1,124 to 974 between the beginning of the year and September 20, while violent crimes declined from 203 to 186 over the same period.

Retired Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt said Sunday’s stabbing would likely stir negative perceptions of downtown safety and prompt City Hall and the business community to demand specific action.

“Yes, police face pressure from the mayor’s office after a high-profile crime downtown,” said Dolunt, who retired in 2017 after 31 years with the department. “The pressure also comes from business owners. They want people to come downtown and spend their money.”

“Although most violent crime occurs in the neighborhoods, Detroit is judged by what happens downtown,” Dolunt told the Detroit Free Press.

“People get the feeling that coming downtown isn’t safe, even if that isn’t necessarily true,” he added. “Perception shapes reality in people’s minds, and when a woman is stabbed in broad daylight downtown on a Sunday afternoon, it gives the city a very bad image.”

Downtown Detroit receives about 85,000 visitors a day, while approximately 35,000 people work there, according to the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

Before Wix’s killing, the last homicide downtown occurred on July 26 at 8:38 a.m. at Third and Abbott Streets, outside the MGM casino.

Offering the perspective of someone who has watched downtown over the years, Grace Keros, owner of the well-known American Coney Island restaurant on Lafayette Boulevard, said the area has become much safer than it once was.

American Coney Island is among the few businesses that remained downtown through decades of deteriorating public safety conditions.

“I feel much safer now than I did in past years, but things can happen anywhere, whether you’re in downtown Detroit or West Bloomfield,” Keros told the Detroit News. “I took over the restaurant 40 years ago, and things have definitely improved, but you always have to stay alert and protect yourself.”

Keros said the most serious problems she faces involve people with mental illnesses.

“That’s not an excuse for bad behavior, but something has to be done about mental health,” she said. “These people come in here all day, every day. There are no places for them to get treatment. People need to turn their words into concrete action and build facilities where these individuals can get help.”