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Cabbie Beaten By Skateboard-Wielding Racist
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 4, 2014
Modified Jun 4, 2014
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jun 4, 2014
Modified Jun 4, 2014
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A taxi driver says a racist passenger beat him with a skateboard because of his ethnicity. Cabbie Mohammad Ali Fahd, a 36-year-old father of two, told the Daily News that he picked up the passenger just after midnight on Monday on Second Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets. Ali, who is Pakistani, says the passenger became unruly after asking him about his country of origin: "He was trying to kill me," he said. "I hope they catch this guy."
Fahd says the passenger, who wanted to be taken to 186th Street and St Nicholas, started cursing and banging on the partition after he told him he was from Pakistan; Fahd was distracted by the commotion and hit a pothole. He stopped the car at a gas station to check, which is when he was attacked by the skateboard-wielding man: "I was doing my safety check to make sure everything was all right with the car when he came up and hit me from behind,” Fahd said.
Fahd suffered a fractured nose, facial cuts and severe swelling to his left eye in the attack; he hasn't been able to open the eye since the attack, and doctors aren't sure how badly his vision will be affected. The suspect is believed to have fled the scene on his skateboard.
Cops add that the African-American passenger was wearing a white sweatshirt, and approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
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beating
cabbie
Mohammad Ali Fahd
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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