Police in Pittsburgh are investigating the shooting of a Muslim taxi driver last Thursday in what is being described as an anti- Muslim hate crime.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the driver, a 38 year old Moroccan immigrant has requested anonymity out of fear for his safety.
He described how the passenger began asking him questions around his ethnicity, and proceeded to talk about ISIS. The driver made it clear to the passenger that he did not support the work of the terrorist group, but noticed the passenger’s tone become more aggressive.
Video: #CAIR Asks DOJ to Probe Shooting of Muslim Taxi Driver https://t.co/fNvjwNiMsT
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) November 30, 2015
“So it was this kind of stuff until we got to his destination. He asked me to wait for a little bit because he forgot his wallet in the house. I waited for just five minutes, I think, and I noticed that he came out of the house carrying a rifle in his hand. I noticed him coming toward me. I didn’t hesitate. I [made] a fast decision to leave and drove my taxi away because I felt he was going to do something. There is danger. He would shoot me or something. I felt like he had the intention to kill me.”
Muslim civil rights group asks FBI to investigate shooting of Pittsburgh cab driver as hate crime: https://t.co/AL5Oi09tEL
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 1, 2015
The driver remains in a stable condition in hospital currently.
“Since the Paris attack, we’ve been suffering,” said the woman, a member of the Islamic Center and who also requested anonymity.
The police are investigating and the FBI have been informed.
