New Orleans, La. -- NOPD homicide detectives are reviewing hours of surveillance video in hopes of identifying whoever is responsible for the murder of a United Cab Company driver early Monday.
Cops said they will review surveillance video from businesses near where the fare was picked up early Monday morning, as well as video from businesses in the area where the cabbie was found shot to death.
"He was just a family guy and trying to raise his family, as simple as that," said Tabarak Ali, a fellow cabbie.
And now the family of United Cab Company driver Ali Husnain is grieving. He was found dead inside his taxi around 5:30 Monday morning, according to police, behind an apartment complex in the 6000 block of Downman Road in New Orleans East.
"The apartments there are kind of vacant -- they're not fully occupied on Downman, so it was when the sun came up that the vehicle was noticed and the police were called," said Lt. Gary Marchese, commander of the homicide division.
It appears Husnain was shot while driving.
"Upon their arrival they observed a cab that had crashed into a fence… It appears he was pulling into the complex to drop the fare off," Lt. Marchese continued.
And investigators believe whoever was in the cab with Husnain pulled the trigger.
"We believe that it was the passenger in the cab that committed this murder," Marchese stated.
He said robbery is likely the motive.
"Doesn't appear that he [Husnain] was involved in any type of gang or narcotics activity," Lt. Marchese said.
Investigators recovered the wallet of the victim, but no cash.
"Life is not that cheap -- you kill somebody, but you don't know behind him is a whole family, you know," said Ali.
"I was basically just like everybody else around here, in shock," said Joe Messina, interim president of United Cab Company. He said Husnain had been driving for the company for two and a half years.
"He got a call around a little after 1:00 a.m. to go to St. Charles Avenue in the 100 block for a pick-up -- after that call we didn't have any radio transmission from him since. Next thing we knew around five o'clock this morning police found him dead," Messina stated.
Husnain was a husband and a father, according to family and co-workers FOX 8 News spoke with after the shooting.
"Got everybody just knocked back 10 steps. We just can't believe that these things are happening to such nice people," Messina said.
And Messina said cab drivers have to make split second decisions in sizing up fares before deciding to let them in their vehicles.
"All you go by is your instinct at the time -- there's no way to really know them because some of these guys are really professional, and they can bamboozle you… If somebody makes you feel uncomfortable, don't ride them," he said.
Messina pointed out a plaque on a wall containing the names of cabbies murdered in recent years. And now he prepares to add the latest, while sending a message to Husnain's killer.
"I hope you realize the tragedy you're causing this man's family and his young daughter over, I'm sure, just a few bucks… and you'll probably spend the rest of your life in jail thinking about it," he said.
Shooting scene on Downman Road
Ali Husnain (family photo)
