A taxi driver was killed during an altercation with a passenger in Sai Ying Pun at around 5 am Tuesday. Police are investigating the incident as a murder case.
According to Ming Pao, the taxi was driving along Eastern Street near Queen’s Road West when the passenger allegedly used a hard object to strike the 48-year-old driver, surnamed Wai.
The driver got out of the taxi in an attempt to flee, but the passenger caught up and allegedly attacked him again. Suffering a bloody gash on his neck, the driver collapsed after running around 20 meters.
Police and paramedics arrived at the scene after a passerby called for help. The driver was sent to Queen Mary Hospital, where he was certified dead around 6 am. The suspect, a Caucasian man in his thirties, is still on the run.
Pictures on HK01 show the vehicle—the wheelchair-accessible Diamond Cab—outside Ramada Hong Hong Harbor View Hotel on Eastern Street. Blood splatters can be seen on the ground.
The taxi meter displayed an HK$80 (US$10.30) total at the time.
Officers returned to the scene Tuesday morning with a police dog to collect evidence and fingerprints. Police also reviewed nearby CCTV footage, which showed the suspect wearing a black top and black pants.
Reports emerged later that the man, identified by local media as Matthew Choi, was arrested in 2019 for possession of offensive weapons. He first came to the attention of authorities after making comments online threatening to carry out a mass shooting.
