An Uber Driver Stabbed To Death In New York City Raising Concern Over Drivers’ Safety

The local news report that on Saturday night, an Uber driver was stabbed to death in New York City.

The victim was Ganiou Gandonou, 27 years old. He was found in the Bronx area, covered in stab wounds inside of his black Toyota Camry at around 9 p.m. He later died at the Jacobi Medical Center with a heavy bleeding from his neck.

A video of a suspect has been released and a reward of $2,500 was offered by the police.

An Uber representative said to Business Insider that the firm is cooperating with the law enforcement for the investigation.

In an email, the representative wrote:

Several drivers have said that they often feel worried about their safety when on duty. While in New York, traditional taxis have plastic barriers to separate the front and the back, Uber cars don’t have that kind of protection. Sometimes, customers even seat in the front seat.

Background checks are carried out on drivers by Uber, but not for riders. Uber doesn’t have rider verification to know whether they have put in their real names or not. With prepaid debit cards, rides can be booked anonymously.

A spokesperson of the NYPD declined to give any comments, stating ongoing investigation as a reason.

It is reported by the New York Times that the driver was working when he was killed, but both the NYPD and Uber refused to say if the rider was a suspect.

A reward of $3,000 was offered by a local driver group if anyone can provide information that leads to an arrest.

The Independent Drivers Guild representing 70,000 drivers for companies offer ride-hailing service, said:

Latifatou Acimi, the driver’s wife, said that her husband was a hard-working, quiet man.

She said:

When speaking of the killer, she said: