Jaquoya Wix, 34, leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter after an attack that authorities said appeared to be unprovoked.
DETROIT — A 34-year-old mother who was fatally stabbed while taking a break from work in downtown Detroit has been identified by her family as Jaquoya Wix, whose relatives said the Sunday afternoon attack was random.
Wix was working at a Chipotle along Woodward Avenue when she went on break Sept. 20. Detroit police said the attack happened around 2:30 p.m. in an alley near Woodward Avenue and East Congress Street. Police said a man in his 40s approached Wix before attacking her. Investigators said there appeared to have been little or no interaction between the two before the assault, and authorities had not publicly established a motive as of Monday morning.
Police said Wix escaped from the alley and made it to a nearby business, where she collapsed. Emergency medical crews arrived within about four minutes and took her to a hospital, where she died. The man fled from the area after the attack, according to police.
Wix’s death left her family dealing not only with the sudden loss of a daughter and sister but also with concern for the 15-year-old daughter she leaves behind. Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield said in a statement that Wix’s daughter attends school in Detroit and described the loss of her mother as immeasurable.
Wix’s sister, Alicya Wix, organized an online fundraiser for funeral expenses and for the future needs of Jaquoya Wix’s daughter, Kacya. On the fundraising page, Alicya Wix said the teenager’s father died when she was a baby and that Kacya has been living with her grandmother. She said her sister had been working to improve her life and move forward when she was killed.
The fundraiser said money collected would go toward burial costs as well as the teenager’s education and living expenses. The campaign had drawn donations from more than 100 people by Monday morning, reflecting a community response that began within hours of the killing.
Police said a worker at another downtown business saw the fleeing man and followed him for a time. Investigators then used surveillance cameras and other technology in the downtown area to trace his movements. Officers located a man about 20 minutes later near Woodward Avenue and State Street and took him into custody.
Police said the man did not have the suspected weapon when he was detained, but investigators later believed they had recovered the knife connected to the attack and were processing it as evidence. Detectives also continued reviewing surveillance video and interviewing people who were in the area.
Sheffield said information available to the city indicated the attack was unprovoked. Police similarly said they had found little interaction between Wix and the man before the stabbing, but investigators had not announced a final determination about what led to the attack. Authorities had not publicly identified the man in custody or announced criminal charges as of Monday morning.
Chipotle said it was deeply saddened by the violence and expressed condolences to Wix’s family, friends and coworkers. The company said it was cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continued. Wix’s death turned an ordinary Sunday work shift into a devastating loss for a family now preparing for her funeral and caring for the daughter she leaves behind.
The suspect remained in custody as Detroit police continued investigating the killing. Authorities had not released his identity or a confirmed motive, and no charging decision had been publicly announced by the latest available reports Monday.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.