A group of five supsects beat an elderly New York City taxi driver in broad daylight on a Midtown Manhattan street July 19, the New York Post reported.
Two men and three women could be seen repeatedly hitting the 60-year-old taxi driver, who tried to evade their blows and showed no signs of fighting back. The incident occurred near the intersection of Sixth Avenue and W. 34th Street, per the outlet.
The driver crouched to protect his head, but the attack persisted, knocking him off balance and leaving him slumped beside his cab. One of the women landed several more blows and even kicked him in the chest.
TOPSHOT – The setting sun is reflected on the skyline of midtown Manhattan, New York, as seen from across the Hudson river in Weehawken, New Jersey, on March 22, 2023. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images)
None of the onlookers stepped in to help the victim, who was later taken to New York University Hospital. He was reported to be in stable condition.
Police revealed that the altercation began with an argument between the cab driver and the assailants before it escalated into the violent beatdown. (RELATED: Road Rage Showdown Ends With Flipped Car. Driver Then Whips Out Knife And Chases Other Motorist)
Two assailants, both from Brooklyn, were arrested at the scene. Howard Colley, 35, was accused of punching the driver’s face. Natalie Morgan, 51, faces charges of damaging the cab’s side view mirror.
In response to this distressing attack, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers (NYSFTD) demanded justice.
“We must catch these young thugs and lock them up. This elderly driver did not deserve this brutal beating. Assaults, stabbings, shootings and robberies must stop,” said NYSFTD spokesperson Fernando Mateo, according to the New York Post.