This is the horrifying moment five thugs – including three teenage girls – brutally beat up a New York City taxi driver to death after they failed to pay for their early-morning ride.
Father-of-four Kutin Gyimah, 52, was violently punched and kicked before one of the thugs delivered a fatal blow to his head, leaving the taxi driver motionless on the sidewalk at 6.30am.
Yellow taxi driver Gyimah died after he chased the group – who allegedly ran out of the vehicle without paying their fare near Arverne Boulevard in Queens on Saturday morning.
He was rushed to St. John’s Hospital, where he later died from his serious injuries.
Two male suspects, both aged 20, are now in custody, cops confirmed this morning. They have not yet been charged for the onslaught.
Three teenage girls, aged 13, 15, and 16, are still being hunted by police.
One of the men who handed themselves into police was identified as Austin Amos. NYPD said Amos was last seen wearing clothing that matches that of the suspect who delivered the final, fatal blow.
Amos has six prior arrests, including for robbery, criminal mischief, criminal contempt and sexual misconduct, police said. He was accompanied by his mother when he handed himself into cops on Wednesday night.
Video shows five youths surrounding father-of-four Kutin Gyimah, 52, before they began punching and kicking him
One male suspect is seen delivering a fatal blow to his head that sent Gyimah to the ground
‘He was a good, good man. He was my backbone. I’m lost right now. My children’s hero,’ Gyimah’s wife Abigail (pictured together), who could not hold back her tears, said
New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers previously offered a $15,000 reward for information that would lead to an arrest following the ordeal.
It comes as yellow taxi drivers in New York are facing the burden of debt and bankruptcy after investing in taxi medallions – but fail to make substantial profits worth the price of their license certificate.
Thousands of drivers are on the brink of financial ruin, with the average debt owed on medallions by taxi drivers reaching $600,000, according to the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.
The overwhelming demand for other app-based services like Uber, Lyft and Via in the capital city have also put pressure on yellow taxi drivers, driving up competition.
Gyimah, whose wife Abigail said she is ‘lost without him’, had four children aged eight, seven, five and three.
In footage from the nasty attack, he was seen getting out of his taxi and chasing the group of thugs on foot before they encircle him.
He was seen raising his arms to protect himself from the brutal ambush near Beach 54th Street and Arverne Boulevard, as the group continued their onslaught.
When Gyimah was able to get back his feet, one of the men whacked him in the head, sending him flying to the ground.
The five suspects then fled the scene, leaving Gyimah, who suffered a fatal head injury, lying on the sidewalk motionless.
Video shows the suspects later walking up the stairs of an apartment block.
Police identified Austin Amos, 20, of Queens, as one of the suspects wanted in connection with Gyimah’s murder. He is now in custody, along with another 20-year-old man. Three teenage girls aged between 13 and 16 are also wanted by police
The five suspects run away from the scene, leaving Gyimah, who suffered a fatal head injury, lying on the sidewalk motionless
Video shows the suspects later walking up the stairs of an apartment block.
Video shows the suspects later walking along a corridor of an apartment block
His wife Abigail told CBS2: ‘I don’t know what to do right now. I have lost. I have lost.’
‘He was a good, good man. He was my backbone. I’m lost right now. My children’s hero,’ Abigail, who could not hold back her tears, said.
A GoFundMe page has been launched for Gyimah’s wife and four children and more than $109,600 has been raised so far. The money will be used to fund his funeral but also support the family’s living expenses and the children’s education.
One of Gyimah’s colleagues wrote on the page: ‘He was one of our cab drivers who worked honestly and tirelessly to support his family.
‘All through the worst days of the pandemic he was one of the few who still drove a cab continuously to provide support for our city and its citizens. Please help honor him, his work and help his family.
‘He was a husband and a father of 4 children ages 8, 7, 5 and 3. He will not be coming home anymore.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk