WATCH: Elderly NYC taxi driver brutally beaten by 5 attackers; distressing video goes viral
A distressing incident captured on camera shows a 60-year-old taxi driver being viciously attacked by five individuals on a bustling Manhattan street. The assault sparks outrage and calls for justice for the victim.
FollowOn July 19, a horrifying incident unfolded on a bustling Midtown Manhattan street as a 60-year-old taxi driver was viciously attacked by five individuals. The appalling assault was captured on camera and has since been circulating on social media, drawing widespread criticism towards the attackers. The video, reported by the New York Post, shows three women and two men repeatedly assaulting the cab driver near the intersection of Sixth Avenue and W 34th Street. They used their shoes and fists to strike him relentlessly, while onlookers stood by without intervening.
In the distressing footage, the cab driver can be seen trying to dodge the blows and retrieve an item from the ground, but the assault persists. Eventually, he loses his balance and collapses against the side of his cab, with one of the women continuing to attack him with kicks and punches.
Despite the cab driver's attempts to shield his head with his hands, no one steps in to help until one of the men eventually pulls the woman away, as the video ends.
After the incident, the injured driver was taken by ambulance to New York University Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition, according to the New York Post's report. The police revealed that an argument occurred between the cab driver and the attackers before the brutal beating took place.
At the scene, two suspects were arrested - 35-year-old Howard Colley and 51-year-old Natalie Morgan, both from Brooklyn. Colley faces assault charges for allegedly hitting the cab driver in the face, while Morgan is charged with criminal mischief for purportedly damaging the right side view mirror of the cab.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers (NYSFTD) has demanded justice for the cab driver, expressing their outrage over the incident. NYSFTD spokesperson Fernando Mateo stated that these young attackers must be apprehended and prosecuted. He emphasized that the elderly driver did not deserve such a brutal beating and called for an end to assaults, stabbings, shootings, and robberies against taxi drivers.
Fernando Mateo also pointed out a previous tragic incident involving the killing of another New York taxi driver, Kutin Gyimah, 52, in Queens last year. Gyimah was beaten to death by a group of teenagers in Far Rockaway on August 18, 2022.
The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission also condemned the vicious assault, stating that violence against hardworking drivers is entirely unacceptable and illegal. They have activated their driver support unit to assist the victim during this difficult time.
As the police investigation into the assault continues, the incident has sparked outrage and calls for more protection and safety measures for taxi drivers facing such incidents on the job.
