NYC taxi drivers demand locked doors after passenger dragged, killed from backseat
NEW YORK - NYC taxi drivers are demanding the right to lock their doors after a rider was ripped from the back of a livery cab and beaten to death on Coney Island.
Michael Shelonchik, 53, was killed Tuesday after two unidentified individuals opened the door to his cab and began to punch him in the face and head, according to police.
CREDIT: NYPD
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers (NYSFTD) is calling for policy updates, arguing that the current rules are outdated and put drivers and passengers at risk.
What they're saying:
"Michael Shelonchik’s death was preventable," Fernando Mateo, the NYSFTD Spokesperson said. "If the livery cab he was in had automatic door locks engaged, this tragedy might never have occurred. It’s time to take common-sense steps to save lives."
They say they're "not asking for much," just the ability to protect themselves and passengers from outside threats.
Courtesy: Shelonchik family
"Locking the doors to keep criminals out while allowing passengers to exit freely is a no-brainer. This simple change could mean the difference between life and death for our drivers and riders," Steven Rivera, President of the NYSFTD said.
Police are still looking for the two suspects they say killed Shelonchik and the investigation remains ongoing.
What happened to Michael Shelonchik?
The backstory:
Courtesy: Shelonchik family
Police say around 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, two individuals approached a livery taxi cab near West 5th Street and Neptune Avenue in Brooklyn.
That’s where police say they found Michael Shelonchik unconscious in the backseat of a livery vehicle.
Courtesy: Shelonchik family
According to his family, Shelonchik "was senselessly beaten for his chain necklace, before doctors said he’d never make it out of the hospital."
The two individuals were last seen on surveillance wearing black jackets.
Local perspective:
Shelonchik leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
His wife tells FOX 5 NY "they ripped the door open, and they started whaling on him."
"He told the driver ‘go go go’ and I'm not going to blame the driver. It's a lot. No one knows how they're going to react to a situation like that," she added.
His daughter, Taylor Shelonchik, says he was an "amazing father and everything to his kids. And this is such a tragic loss."
Courtesy: Shelonchik family
They say he loved music, basketball and, more than anything, his family.
Today would've been his 54th birthday.
Advocates for taxi drivers hope Shelonchik's murder drives a policy change. "The driver cannot [do anything], because of the TLC laws on locking the doors," NYSFTD Spokesperson Fernando Mateo says.
CREDIT: NYPD
The NYSFTD issued a letter to TLC’s Commissioner saying the current policy endangers the lives of both drivers and passengers.
"We’ve seen this over and over again that a cab is stopped at a red light, a stop sign, or stuck in traffic and a stranger, a criminal just comes over and robs the passenger and takes off," Mateo explained.
What you can do:
"I really hope that the city he was born and raised in and loved will change because this is such a tragedy," his wife added.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim is seeking assistance to cover mounting bills and funeral expenses.
Their Go Fund Me campaign has raised just over half of its $16,000 goal.