Key Chun Kim Fighting For His Life After Being Assaulted Over Fare Fight
A taxi driver attacked two weeks ago remains in a coma. 
There is now a call not only for a full prosecution, but for a change in the law to protect all cabbies from such assaults.
Outside the hospital where driver Key Chun Kim has for two weeks, supporters and family members spoke of his injuries on Thursday.
“It’s just very tragic and very heartbreaking to see my uncle in this condition,” nephew Stephen Kim told CBS 2′s John Slattery.
The 53-year-old Kim, a Korean immigrant, has driven yellow taxis for 15 years.
“It’s hard to imagine how brother Kim is fighting for his life and the assailant has been released on $10,000 bail,” said Bhairavi Desai, of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.
It happened Jan. 1 at Skillman Street and Willoughby Avenue, where Kim had just stopped with a fare.
The brutal assault was witnessed by a bystander who called 911 and then bravely intervened while holding the assailant for police.
“He was just asking for the person to pay the fare and that’s how he was assaulted,” the victim’s sister, Kristin Kim, said.
Arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges was 28-year-old Andrew McElroy.
“It’s now been two weeks and no case has been brought to the grand jury,” Desai said.
A spokesman for the Brooklyn District Attorney said “It is an ongoing investigation. No decision has been made.”
Three state Assembly members said they will introduce new legislation.
“Any kind of assault will be an automatic felony,” Assemblyman Ron Kim said.
Advocates said they hoping a stiffer law and stiffer penalties will make taxi drivers less of a target for violence.
The Assembly members said that making any assault on a taxi driver a felony would bring the law in line with attacks on first responders.
That’s why I carry a hammer at night it’s not a weapon it’s a tool!
sorry to hear what happened to mr. Chun Kim, but we need to figth together to win this kind of case. so all brothers and sister please support Mr. Chun Kim case. We are all immigrant from different country a cross the world. so please lets put together to figh for Mr. Chun Kim. Thank you for all of your support.
Are yellow trouble light and partition in cabs is good enough to protect NYC cabdrivers?
Kim’ cab has both, but no security camera and no recording device.
We must do something for our driver, really hurt when Yu see this kind of violence against a hard working taxi cab driver, or against anyone, is just misunderstanding. Of how to deal with cabbies.the rules are there to protect passengers ,people can and have the right to complain to the taxi and limousine commission ,also they can call 911 or 311 or even pickup a hack numer and call the tlc.we have 13000 taxi cabs and 40000 drivers ,each driver pays 1200$ in lease and gas ,and that would make 48.000.000$, 48 millions dallars for new York each week.most of the money comes from tourists.if they want keep the flow of the cash they must protect these pour cabbies.
in addition to this, new York must make education for free up to high school for anyone who work partime job.
This is not to take blame away from the assailant, but, I learned a long time ago to never confront a fare beater. It’s best to just let it go. That’s the best way to stay out of trouble and stay safe.
Every business has its shop lifters. The MTA has its share of fare beaters. They have police officers watching for them. But we are alone. So, if you just let these rare occasions go you will not wind up in a hospital or even worse. It’s not worth a fight. The criminal will get caught sooner or later doing something else.
Tlc is the drivers worst enemy, they penalized us and always find guilty of every thing . The piece of shits tlc. Give us the right to screen the bad people and have the right to kick them out and this problem at least will solve fifty percent. Bloomberg should be blamed for this. Making rules only for drivers.
Drivers risk their lives for $10-15 . Why bother ?
Another innocent victim of garage’s greed .
America is finished. You can’t make any money ,you get beaten , robbed .It’s nothing here. Why everybody wants to come here? Uncivilized ,wild place.
I told my wife: ” honey, i am very sorry to tell you that you are married to a prostitute”. She looked at me with her mouth open and said: ” honey what do you mean? are you bisexual? are you having sex with men too”? I replied and said to her: ” No. i am neither bisexual nor i ever had sex with males. By saying i am a prostitute, i meant that i am a taxi driver. A taxi driver in NYC is nothing but a prostitute. Think of it. We have this blood-sucking government agency called TLC in our back that day in and day out is busy pulling cab drivers pants down and raping us. Then we have the blood thirsty garages that don’t bother fixing the cabs properly and as a result cab drivers end up having accidents. Then you have the cops giving you eujustified tickets for picking or dropping in a bus lanes. To top it all is having to deal with all these menthaly sick New Yorkers Next time you pick up a passenger, pay close attention to how they get into the cab, how they talk to you and how they exit the cab. Having to go through all this if it is not a prostitution what would you name a cab driving profession here in NYC? But no other job would give me $80,000 per year! So, i have lost my self respect and dignity for that fucking $80,0000 per year. How about you my fellow cab driver?
80.000 divided by 40 weeks, 2000 weekly, divided by 5 days and divided by 12 hours 45 bucks an hour plus20 rent and gas 65 every hour, at 40 mph you can do that, pasengers jumping in and out non stop for 12 hours, no traffic a whole year. What did you smoke,man?
davidhhhhh exactly the best discription,prostitute hhh,and now tlc want us to look after our sisters hookers around hhhhh,fucky or funy,maybe both,they told us come america and we endup sucking our blood even we got anyblood left,i can’t keep up with kids here in usa,iam planning run away and go back home,i don’t want to chase dirty money for dark dream ,the ownesr of theses country are the richest Japanese,german ,italions French,british ,Koreans ,Israel and Texas.but. The poor will never cross the red line, even educated immigrants are denied financial aid…bey bye.
Was the driver who got hit by suv tried to fix his taxi tat was broken.?wich garage that car belongs too.did the family filed a lawsuit against the garage?
God. Will put all taxi drivers in one room after death, and ask each one a question .why you always scared to loose something back in life and you don’t have anything to loose?
So what would you say to god?
This is truly tragic. I pray Key Chun Kim pulls through, perseveres and prospers. Why is assaulting a cab driver not a felony? MTA drivers get that protection, why not yellow cab drivers? Why doesn’t Yassky get at the forefront of this issue: he can take some time out from filming stupid ads promoting retarded surveys on the GPS screens. Hey Chip, where are you right now buddy? Shed a little light and sprinkle some pearls of wisdom our way on this issue.
there are too many illegal immigrants invading the usa..
why do people leave there crappy countries and come here and reek havoc on our financial infrastructure ?
go back too where your momma was born.. and dont be a traitor too your country… you are not welcome here.. we hate your accents and your ways… piss off illegals
I agree with you Frank about the whole MTA thing … us cabbies should have that security, because we are doing/dealing with one of the jobs with high crime rates.
Most of the bad things that happen to cabbies can be avoided if the driver keeps his cool. Not all but most. Take the troublesome passenger where he wants.and get rid of him. In ten minutes you won’t even remember him.
Yes, traitors are us, the cabbies. Traitors to ourselves. We refuse to help ourselves. We’re too selfish to help a fellow cabby in trouble, and have all the time and effort to cut off a weak cabby and snatch his fare from under his/her nose. We have no time to unite and fight for our basic human rights. Yes, we are the traitors, the worst ones. Like hungry wild dogs who’d kill and eat up their own weak brother, but run away when a wolf shows up. Shame on us.
Guess what, mr.Kim will loose his license and assailant will be the victim . He tried to defend himself. What’s new in this world .
A camera of some sorts inside the cab that snaps your pic. or a panic button to alert radius police. a law like the bus drivers, train attendants, thats say’s. ‘seven years for assaulting a cabie’ or sticker police badge on the door to warn passengers of hidden cameras in cab sent to dispatch.
I agree Anonymous!
Bhairavi Desai, of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, request mandatory partians in all cabs in the nation. A large police like badge illustration by the door, warning, mandatory 7yrs & felony for assaults. 24hr. Hidden camera inside cabs in certain cities. People just want to get back home to see their families.