London cabbie peppered by cross-fire bullets speaks out

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A taxi driver was left shaken after his cab was peppered with bullets during a shoot-out in Highbury.

Michael White knew that shots had been fired almost immediately but was unaware that his cab had been hit.

The 56-year-old was in traffic at the lights in Essex Road carrying a city lawyer on Thursday, September 20, when he heard six shots.

His taxi was left with a shattered rear window, a flat tyre and several bodywork dents following the incident at 9.30pm. Michael said: “I heard six shots and instinctively ducked – daft really I suppose because the shots had already been fired.” The cabbie dropped his confused and shaken passenger off a few minutes away in Alwyne Road, and it was only then that he realised that his cab had been hit several times. The LTDA member said: “When I stopped I heard a crack and that’s when the rear window fell in and that’s when I knew the cab had been hit. I could see dents where the bullets had hit.” The cabbie of 36 years decided to return to the scene to give the police the opportunity to carry forensic testing on his taxi. He said: “It could have only been a few minutes later that I was back to the spot, but armed police were already there. After that they wouldn’t let me touch the cab. They took the flat tyre to examine because it may have a bullet in it. There was another car which had been hit and there was a bullet on the seat. And at the time I remember seeing a woman running along the road with a bandaged hand. It was very frightening.” Police are investigating the incident, which is believed to have broken out after an argument between three men. A 34-year-old woman and a 40-year- old man were also injured after being showered with glass when their car was hit by a stray bullet. Michael, who has decided to take some time out while his taxi is repaired at Colt Cabs in Bethnal Green, said: “I lived in Israel for nine years, so I know what gun shots sound like, but I have never been shot at before. I was quite shaken. I thought I was made of stronger stuff, but it was pretty scary.” A bathroom shop and a bus were also damaged during the incident. The culprit is thought to have fled the scene on foot. No arrests have yet been made.

October 05, 2018 at 03:25PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI LTDA THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT