Jaquoya Wix Obituary: 34-Year-Old Detroit Mother Fatally Stabbed Downtown While on Work Break

Jaquoya Wix, a 34-year-old mother from Detroit, has been identified by her family as the woman who was fatally stabbed while on a work break in downtown Detroit on Sunday, September 20, 2026.

Detroit police said the stabbing happened at approximately 2:30 p.m. in an alley near Woodward Avenue and East Congress Street. Wix was reportedly taking a break from her job at a nearby Chipotle restaurant when she encountered a man who approached her and stabbed her multiple times.

After the attack, Wix ran toward a nearby business and collapsed outside. Emergency crews responded and transported her to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries. A nearby employee reportedly chased the suspect after seeing him with a weapon, although the man managed to escape initially.

Police used downtown surveillance cameras and other technology to locate a suspect roughly 20 minutes after the stabbing near Woodward Avenue and State Street. He was taken into custody, while investigators continued working to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack. Police said the knife was not found on the suspect when he was arrested, although investigators believe the weapon was recovered and was being processed as evidence.

Wix was a mother to a 15-year-old daughter. Family members have described the loss as sudden and devastating. A GoFundMe campaign organized by her sister, Alicya Wix, is seeking assistance with funeral expenses and support for Jaquoya’s daughter.

Detroit officials have described the stabbing as apparently unprovoked based on the information available at the time. Police have not publicly established whether Wix and the suspect knew each other, and the investigation remains ongoing.

As the investigation continues, Jaquoya Wix is being remembered by her family as a mother whose life was cut short while she was simply taking a break from work in downtown Detroit.