Cabbie kiled for $13

(Photo from cab surveillance camera of shooting suspect)

By David Greene


Detectives are combing the quiet Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood for two men responsible for killing a taxi driver. The driver had caught one of the two men running away without paying their fare, and the second assailant shot the man in the gut at point blank range.

According to several sources, the taxi driver had dropped off his two passengers in front of Our Lady of Angels Church, on Sedgwick Avenue, at 1:42 p.m., on Sunday, June 6.

One resident of the block, at the scene moments after the single shot rang out, said of the incident, "He was a cab driver. What happened was there were two Mexican kids in the car with the guy and they had him stop in front of the church and they got out of the car without paying."

The resident of the block continued, "The taxi driver left his car running and ran after them and one of the Mexicans shot him." The taxi driver was shot in the abdomen at the foot of stairs leading to Kingsbridge Terrace.

Another resident said, "Two passengers were in the back. They had a gun and they shot him." The second resident of the block added that detectives told her that witnesses had stated that the two suspects, "Looked familiar to the area." The resident added this was the first act of violence on the block in the six-years she's lived there.

The second witness asked, "Why would you shoot a guy for $13?" The young man continued, "He was fine when he got shot at the top of the stairs, and he walked from the stairs back to his cab. If he died it's because the ambulance was sitting there for about 15-minutes. I told my cousin, 'If he dies, it's because they took too long.'"

The witness, sitting near the church at the time of the incident, added, "I knew it was a shooting when he started to yell for help."

The driver has been identified as 48-year old Cesar Santos, who drove cab number 72 for the Excellent Car Services on Morris Avenue, was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died a short time later.

A source at EMS said of the delay, "Maybe the victim refused treatment, but you would have to asK PD about that. I wouldn't have that on my end."

Police have yet to comment but would release a photo of one of the suspects and a surveillance camera across the street may have also captured images of the suspects.

According to car service manager Ramon Florez, Cesar had a wife and three kids, ages 16, 18 and 26 back home in the Dominican Republic, and had worked at the car service for the last 11-years.

Florez said of the Bedford Park resident, "He was a nice guy and he never had any trouble... he minded his own business."