Two Teen Girls Arrested in Queens Taxi Driver Death
Two teenage girls, aged 13 and 15, have been arrested in connection with the fatal assault of New York City taxi driver Kutin Gyimah, police said. The arrests came more than two weeks after the 52-year-old father of four was attacked in Queens.
The latest arrests bring the number of people taken into custody in the case to four. A third teenage girl, believed to be 16, was still being sought by authorities at the time.
Gyimah was attacked on August 13 after he drove a group of five passengers near the Rockaway Beach area of Queens. Police said the passengers allegedly left the taxi without paying their fare.
Taxi Driver Chased Passengers After Unpaid Fare
The incident happened at about 6:20 a.m. Surveillance footage showed the passengers leaving Gyimah’s cab and moving away without paying.
Gyimah followed them on foot and managed to catch up with one member of the group. According to investigators, he was then attacked by the others.
One of the men allegedly punched Gyimah, causing him to fall. The other members of the group then surrounded him and assaulted him.
Gyimah suffered a severe head injury after striking the pavement. Emergency responders found him unconscious with serious trauma to the back of his head. He was taken to St John’s Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Four Suspects Taken Into Custody
Two 20-year-old men, Austin Amos and Nickolas Porter, had previously surrendered to police in connection with the death.
Both men face gang assault and theft-related charges, while Amos also faces a manslaughter charge. The two teenage girls arrested later were charged with gang assault and theft of services.
Authorities continued searching for another teenage girl believed to have been involved in the attack.
Gyimah’s death left behind his wife and four children, who were between 3 and 8 years old. His family and members of New York’s taxi community called for justice following the fatal assault.
His widow, Abigail Barwuah, urged the remaining suspect to surrender and said her husband did not deserve to lose his life in such circumstances.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers also offered a $15,000 reward for information that could lead to an arrest.
