An advocacy group for New York\u2019s taxi drivers is calling for stricter safety measures and laws after two cabbies were shot in Brooklyn within the last two weeks.<\/p>\n
The most recent incident took place early Friday morning in Brooklyn\u2019s Fort Greene neighborhood, when a 50-year-old driver was shot in the face shortly after 4 a.m. near 99 Portland Ave., police said. He was taken to Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he remains in stable condition, according to police. There have been no arrests, and the investigation is ongoing.<\/p>\n
The incident follows another early morning shooting on July 11 in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Police said a man approached a 21-year-old livery cab driver near 525 Parkside Ave. around 4:15 a.m. and demanded money and the keys to the vehicle. The man then shot the cab driver in the face as he fled the scene, according to police. The driver was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition, police said.<\/p>\n
Drivers put themselves at risk on the job daily, said Fernando Mateo, the founder and spokesperson of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, which represents over 175,000 drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone that gets into your car is a stranger, every block you drive by could be a threat and every time you stop to pick up or drop off a passenger, you can get robbed, assaulted or injured,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mateo said he and others have reached out to governmental agencies to see what compensation the most recent victim can receive. In a video sent to local news outlets on Friday, Mateo also said GoFundMe pages were being set up for both drivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s going to be out of work for a while, his bills are still going to pile up, his rent, his food, his family,\u201d said Mateo.<\/p>\n