Uber Driver Fatally Shot Outside Bronx Bar on New Year’s Eve; $10K Reward Offered

Gunman Randomly Opened Fire on Passing Cars, Witness Claims

Bronx Voice 

January 2, 2025

BRONX, NEW YORK - What should have been the quiet end to a long workday turned deadly for a longtime Uber driver early New Year’s Day, when police say he was shot and killed by a gunman outside an after-hours bar in the Bronx.

The victim, Issa Isac, a 55-year-old married father of four, was wrapping up a 12-hour New Year’s Eve Uber shift and heading to a mosque to pray when he was struck by gunfire just before 7 a.m. Thursday, according to police and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers (NYSFTD).

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Authorities say the killing marks New York City’s first homicide of 2026.

Innocent Uber Driver Caught in Sudden Bronx Shooting

Isac, originally from West Africa, had been driving professionally in New York City for years. Union officials stress he was not the intended target.

“This is a murder,” NYSFTD spokesman Fernando Mateo said at a Friday press conference. “Issa was shot at point-blank range through the passenger-side window of his vehicle.”

The shooting happened near Morris Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway in the Mt. Hope section of the Bronx, an area that investigators say was active due to an after-hours bar operating nearby.

Eyewitness Describes Gunman Opening Fire at Passing Cars

An eyewitness, who appeared masked and wearing sunglasses to protect his identity, told reporters he saw the gunman moments before the shooting. Speaking through a translator, the witness said the suspect exited the bar and became enraged after discovering his car had been damaged in what appeared to be a fender-bender.

According to the account, the man then began randomly firing at passing vehicles.

“He just walked out and started shooting at every car that was going by,” the witness said.

Isac’s vehicle was among those passing by at the worst possible moment.

Victim Pronounced Dead at Jacobi Hospital

Isac was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, where he was later pronounced dead. News of the killing sent shockwaves through New York’s taxi and rideshare community, many of whom say drivers are increasingly vulnerable to random street violence.

Taxi Drivers Union Offers $10,000 Reward

In an effort to track down the suspect, the NYSFTD announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Mateo said the union believes the shooter fled the scene in a car and may be attempting to leave the country.

“We believe the shooter is a Dominican immigrant,” Mateo said. “If he hasn’t already fled, he may be close to doing so.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or visit
https://www.nypdcrimestoppers.com

Tips can be submitted anonymously.

Growing Safety Concerns for NYC Uber and Taxi Drivers

The killing has renewed calls for stronger protections for Uber drivers in New York City, particularly during overnight and holiday shifts.

Union leaders say Isac’s death underscores the risks drivers face simply doing their jobs.

“He was just trying to get home,” Mateo said. “He did nothing wrong.”