7-07-2026 9:16am

Bakery owner denies involvement

Joseph Genco Editor

The owner of The Bakery says the police are unfairly targeting his business and the private party at his facility was uninvolved in the shooting incident that took the life of Jalin Rios, 22, on Saturday night.

Jayla Brown, 19, was the victim of a Highland Avenue shooting that preceded the incident near Gill Creek Park.

Samuel Kubiak said he has been working hard in recent months to get The Bakery open again, holding private parties and trying to get appropriate food licensing because his family owns a soul food restaurant in Texas and food is potentially the most profitable side of his business model.

On Saturday night, he said he was working security at his own facility when there was a commotion outside. People who were at his facility came outside. He heard gunshots and ushered everyone back in for their safety and locked the door.

Kubiak says the trouble came from a family party at the adjacent park and people visiting Jimmy’s, a bar at 3044 Niagara St.

Jalin Rios was the victim of the shooting outside of the Bakery and he was 22 years old.

Kubiak said he called 911 and, when it seemed safe, went back outside as police arrived. He said he attempted to give first aid to Rios. Kubiak said police, already hyped up from one murder, refused to let him, as a registered nurse, deliver first aid. They also used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd as a young man lay bleeding to death in the alley behind the bar before paramedics arrived.

The shooting took place two hours after one that occurred on Highland Avenue at a community celebration of Independence Day and took the life of Jayla Brown, 19.

On Monday morning at 10 a.m., Kubiak said Niagara Falls Code Enforcement hit his business with a cease and desist order. He had been meeting with city officials trying to get the appropriate permitting for his plan.

Kubiak said shortly after he opened, detectives working for NFPD began sitting on the street nearby and he was told the Mayor put them up to it. A surveillance camera appeared on the utility pole outside as well.

He said he was holding events and improving the building, moving toward full-licensing while hosting private events and paying off debt he took to purchase building.

Niagara County tax records show the current owner of the building as Alhouseh Monser SSI of 625 16th St. The former Bakery Restaurant sold on Aug. 8, 2022 for $350,000 from The Bakery Lounge Inc. to A to Z Link Inc. It changed hands again on April 22, 2025 when US National Bank Association acquired it at for $122,000. Nothing in tax records records Kubiak as owner of the property.

Kubiak said he came to Western New York in his career as a professional football player when he was traded to the Erie Express Arena Football League team.

He leaves for training camp in August. Asked about Simply Soul in Niagara Falls, he said he had eaten there and the food was good for starting with packaged product but his soul food is scratch made, fresh spices, not originated from prepackaged.

The Express is positive the Niagara Falls Police will have an explanation but given current city policy, answers require access to police or city employees which is not available without disrespecting the Restaino administration.

The Gazette’s Rick Pfeiffer has inside access to police officers and may have other sources but as a journalist, he lives in Buffalo and is not connected to the community. Hence his reporting today, with useful details on the crime, mentions “police sources.”

The Express will write more about Jalin and Jayla as we hear from families and the community.

We will also be writing about Kobans II, and Jimmy’s Minis, businesses that together with The Bakery, are revitalizing the Niagara Avenue business district.

This is a tragedy. The community will grieve for lives needlessly lost. It also is a time to step back, support local businesses and move forward. There are a pair of events planned for those mourning the young lives lost.