Taxi Driver, Two Others Attacked In the Same Area
By Lauren DeFranco
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=3478261

(Stony Brook, LI-WABC, September 26, 2005) - A string of gang attacks targeting delivery men and drivers on Long Island are under investigation. The latest incident came overnight when a cab driver was jumped by a gang and shot in the stomach in Coram.

Long Island reporter Lauren Defranco is live in Coram with the story.

The owner of one of the Chinese restaurants says he was ambushed by four men who put a gun to his head while he was making a delivery. He says what's most frightening is he turned over cash and food and they still shot at him as he drove away.

Two of the victims were in Stony Brook Hospital, the third one was lucky enough to get away with just a few bumps and bruises.

A driver from a taxi company in Riverhead was not as fortunate. The longtime employee is in his early 60s and is in critical condition.

Last night, a call came in and the victim was dispatched to a home on Gray Avenue to pick up a passenger. But as he pulled up the address he was jumped by a gang who also shot him. He was hit once in the stomach, the suspects also took his money.

Al Goldberg worked as a delivery man in Coram and he knows how dangerous the job can be.

Al Goldberg, Former Delivery Guy: "It's pretty rough for these guys, if they don't know the territory, if they don't know the area, they're going in blind. They're being set up for exactly what's happening and it's terrible, it really is. They should be calling back people making sure that it's their address and things like that, they're not."

Police believe the same group also may have been roaming the Coram area Saturday. A delivery man from a Chinese restaurant was also dropping off food on Margaret Drive. Investigators say a group of four men robbed the worker and also fired two shots. One hit the driver in the neck, he's in stable condition.

And then yet, another Chinese food delivery man was attacked. This happened this weekend in Coram on Clifford Street. Same circumstances as the first two incidents but this time the victim was not hit by bullets, although shots were fired.

Coram Resident: "I think it's horrible, I think it's even worse because they're coming to work, you know it's their job and then, you know, I think it's horrible."

At noontime, Suffolk County police were searching for these robbers. They'll be holding a news conference later this afternoon.

Copyright 2005 WABC-TV