EDGEMERE — Fernando Mateo, of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, is offering a $1,000 reward for the murder of a livery cab driver in Edgemere which he believes was an illegal street hail that went bad.
“This shows the dangers that exist in picking up livery hails in the outer boroughs,” he said.
Mateo said the victim was Patrick Hall, a 30-year-old father of three.
Police said officers responded to a call at about 7:40 a.m. Sunday of a man shot at the corner of Beach 32nd Street and Lemway Road.
When there, they found a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a white Ford Crown Victoria with one gunshot wound in his head, police said. EMS arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said.
No arrests have been made and the investigation was ongoing, police said.
Mateo contended Hall’s death was evidence that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to allow cabs to pick up street hails in the outer boroughs, which has been approved by the state Legislature but not signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has downsides.
He said that unlike Manhattan, outer-borough street hails could be taking place on areas with poor lighting and less of a police presence.
“We’re concerned for the well-being of the drivers and their families,” Mateo said.
