Taxi Driver Stabbed in Early Morning Robbery

A male taxi driver was transported to Salem Hospital early Wednesday morning after he was stabbed during the course of a robbery.

received a call at 2:02 a.m. from a female on Harris Street with an initial report of the incident. She told police the taxi driver told her he had been stabbed.

Detective Michael Crane said officers arrived on the scene to find the cab in the road and the driver sitting in the middle of the car, clutching his right side. Officers could clearly see blood coming from a wound, Crane said.

The victim was taken to the hospital via with a serious wound injury, which didn't appear life-threatening at the time, Crane said.

The suspect was described as a white male in his 40s, clean-shaven with a short-cropped haircut and wearing a blue nylon sweat suit with yellow stripes, a white baseball cap and sneakers.

The victim told officers he was dispatched to the area of 5-7 Harris St. on a call for a fare. Arriving at his destination, he saw the man who presumably called for the cab walking back and forth in the street.

The man first tried to enter the front seat of the taxi, but was asked to sit in back by the driver, still unsuspecting of what was about to happen.

The victim said he started to drive up the street when he was suddenly attacked from behind by the passenger. The suspect grabbed at the driver, punching him in the head while tearing through his pockets and at jewelry the driver wore.

During the struggle, the driver started beeping his horn, police said, alerting neighbors to the situation.

At that point, the suspect fled the vehicle toward Walnut Street and it was only then that the victim realized he'd been stabbed.

Crane said he did not know the victim's condition late Wednesday afternoon.

He declined to specify what the robber made off with, but did say some personal items belonging to the driver were taken. Crane said multiple detectives were actively working on the case at that time.

The cab was towed to the police station by Phil’s Towing.