Bahamian artist Stefan Davis killed in Miami-Dade crash
Key Points(5)
- A Bahamas artist who was killed in a car crash in northwest Miami-Dade on Wednesday is being remembered by his friends for his talent and big heart.
- Stefan Davis was the man who died after a crash involving a Miami-Dade deputy and a suspect wanted by the U.S.
- military happened near Northwest 51st Terrace and Northwest 33rd Avenue.
- Surveillance video captured a car speeding through the area before the violent impact.
- “I heard a boom,” said Norman Bradley, who was nearby at the time.
Prominent Bahamian artist Stefan Davis, best known for his Airbrush Junkies brand, was killed in a traffic crash in northwest Miami-Dade on Wednesday involving a sheriff’s deputy and a man wanted for military desertion.
Davis was seriously injured in the crash near Northwest 51st Terrace and Northwest 33rd Avenue and was rushed to hospital, where he later died.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the Robbery Intervention Unit were conducting a traffic stop when 21-year-old Luis Manuel Perez allegedly accelerated and fled.
Perez was wanted by the U.S. military for desertion, authorities said.
Surveillance video from the area reportedly captured a vehicle speeding along the roadway shortly before the violent crash.
Perez was taken into custody and, as of Thursday evening, was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
News of Davis' death prompted an outpouring of tributes in The Bahamas, where he was widely known for his distinctive airbrush artwork.
Davis built a following through Airbrush Junkies, transforming T-shirts, hats, bags and other items into customized works of art. His business became a fixture at the Mall at Marathon and helped establish him as a recognizable figure in the country's creative community.
Free Town MP Lincoln Deal remembered Davis as a gifted artist whose work left a lasting mark on Bahamian culture.
“Stefan Davis was truly Bahamian talent. For decades, he used his gift to leave his mark on our culture and on so many people,” Deal said in a tribute on Facebook.
“If you remember Airbrush Junkies, whether you had a T shirt, a bag, a hat, or almost anything airbrushed, you knew Stefan’s work. He wasn’t simply painting. He was an artist with a gift that was unmistakably his own.”
Deal recalled Davis producing a live painting of Jesus during a philanthropic event he hosted in 2017, describing the artist as creative, talented and passionate about his craft.
Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard also paid tribute to Davis, describing him as a trailblazer who turned his interest in airbrush art into a well-known Bahamian business.
“What began as a young man's fascination with airbrush art grew into Airbrush Junkies, a name that became a fixture at the Mall at Marathon and a household name across these islands,” Pintard said.
He said Davis also made a point of sharing his skills with younger Bahamians and helping develop the next generation of artists.
“What stood out most about Stefan was that he never stopped reaching back,” Pintard said. “Even as his work found more notoriety, he remained focused on the next generation, ready to teach young Bahamians the craft he had spent decades perfecting.”
Pintard said Davis' death was a loss not only for the country's arts community but also for small businesses and aspiring creatives.
“Our small business community, our creative community, and our young artists have lost a mentor and a trailblazer,” he said.
