TAMPA - A taxi driver was shot in the chest early this morning during a robbery attempt in the Old West Tampa neighborhood, police said.
The driver, who was not identified, was dropping off a passenger in the 1100 block of West Chestnut Street at 2:51 a.m. when a man approached the cab with a shotgun, said Lt. Bill Ferguson, spokesman for the Tampa Police Department.
The suspect demanded money and the driver tossed money out of the window. The suspect then shot the driver in the chest, Ferguson said.
The victim drove about 100 yards to the intersection of Chestnut Street and North Willow Avenue where he crashed into a police officer who was patrolling the area, Ferguson said.
The officer was not injured. The cab's passenger, who tried to get out of the car during the robbery, was also uninjured. He is not a suspect, Ferguson said.
The driver was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital where he was in serious condition, Ferguson said.
Police are looking for a black man between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was wearing dark clothing, Ferguson said.
