KINGSTON, Jamaica – Taxi operators who operate routes along Washington Boulevard in St Andrew say they are living in fear after one of their colleagues was shot and killed on the thoroughfare Thursday afternoon.

Courtney Clarke was in his white Toyota Probox on the boulevard about 11:25 am when he was attacked by unknown assailants, who shot him multiple times before fleeing in the direction of the Sandy Gully. Clarke was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

READ: Transport boss calls for urgent action after another taxi driver killed

Leonard Matic, who operates in the Duhaney Park area, said he did not report back to work immediately after the incident out of fear, adding that it has become difficult to transport passengers to their required destinations without feeling uneasy.

“We are working in fear to transport the hard working citizens of Jamaica to work, school etc. Every year we get more afraid because it’s like randomly one of us [taxi operator] will die, innocently for nothing at all,” he said.

He said he and his colleagues have been plunged into mourning over the death of Clarke, who was not a known trouble-maker.

“This driver, nobody has anything bad to say about him and we heard that they were trying to rob him. They saw the vehicle and money, I’m not sure. I wasn’t in the car, so I’m not sure if he resisted. They shot him and we’re just here mourning,” Matic said.

He is pleading to the public to allow taxi operators to carry out their duties without being fearful.