Michael Enright, 21, of upstate New York, was charged with felony attempted murder as a hate crime – among other crimes – after the sick attack on Ahmed Sharif, 43, Tuesday night.
“I feel very sad,” Sharif said, according to a statement released by the Taxi Workers Alliance. “I have been here more than 25 years. I have been driving a taxi more than 15 years. All four of my kids were born here.”
Sharif, who was slashed in the throat, upper lip, arm and hand, said he believes the battle over the Ground Zero mosque has inflamed anti-Muslim sentiment in America.
“I never feel this hopeless and insecure before,” the Queens man said in the statement. “Right now, the public sentiment is very serious (because of the Ground Zero mosque debate). All \[taxi\] drivers should be more careful.”
Enright, of Brewster, was “very, very intoxicated” when he hailed Sharif’s yellow cab shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday, a police source said.
According to the Taxi Workers Alliance, Enright was friendly when he first got into the cab, asking Sharif where he was from, how long had he been in America and whether he was Muslim.
Police confirmed that Enright inquired about Sharif’s religion.
After his initial flurry of questions, Enright grew silent for several minutes before suddenly attacking the unsuspecting Sharif in Murray Hill, according to the union.
Cops said Enright whipped out the knife from his multi-gadget Leatherman tool. He reached through the partially open plastic barrier separating the front seat from the back and repeatedly stabbed Sharif.
Sharif fought back in self defense and Enright fled the vehicle near 42nd St., according to the union. Sharif flagged down a cop along 42nd St. and the officer chased down Enright, according to the union spokeswoman, Bhairavi Desai.
Enright was shipped off to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, police said. He’s expected to arraigned Wednesday afternoon.
In addition to the charge of attempted murder as a hate crime, cops booked Enright for assault with a weapon as a hate crime, harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
Sharif was treated at Bellevue hospital and released.
