Gunman Shoots Cab Driver During Fare Dispute
A 76-year-old man is facing serious charges after allegedly shooting a cab driver during a heated argument. New court documents reveal that Joseph Meeks, the accused, threatened the driver, 27-year-old Cabby Alsinbury, with the words, “I’m going to kill you,” moments before pulling the trigger.
The incident occurred around 4:30 PM on Nelson Avenue near West 169th Street in the Hybridge area. As reported, the enraged passenger shot Barry in the stomach after issuing the threat.
After the shooting, Meeks reportedly returned to his residence at a nearby senior complex and left the gun outside, according to law enforcement officials.
Barry, speaking from his hospital bed during an exclusive interview, stated he hadn’t noticed his passenger was armed until it was too late. “He was just going outside,” Barry recalled, struggling to breathe. “He shut the door and turned around and shot me. I tried to drive. He turned around and shot me.”
Following the attack, Barry managed to open the car door and collapsed on the street, where his mother found him. In a frantic call, he urged her to come quickly. “He said to me, ‘Mom, mom, come, I’m dying. Come and talk, please, please,'” his mother, Haja Idrissa Baum, recounted.
Baum described the scene, saying, “He’s on the ground. He told me, ‘Mom, I’m sorry about everything I did to you.'” It was a distressing moment, she added.
Police apprehended Meeks about three and a half hours later at his home, where they discovered a silver .25 caliber pistol with five live rounds still in the magazine.
Meeks has a history of arrests, including two recent incidents for which he was not released on bail, as stated by police. Charges against him include making threats with a weapon and criminal possession stemming from an earlier incident in April.
In addition, he has faced other charges related to theft and possession of stolen property, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Barry, who has lived in the U.S. for roughly nine years, works to support his family back in Guinea, sending money home regularly. He’s been working at the same taxi company since 2023, as noted by Fernando Mateo of the New York State Coalition of Taxi Drivers.
In a perplexing comment, Mateo remarked, “At 76, you’ve lived your life, right? Why is he trying to take the life of a young man?”
Meeks has been charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of weapons, and harassment. He is currently being held on a $25,000 cash bail or $75,000 bond, with his next court date scheduled for Friday.
