The New York Police Department is on the hunt for 24-year-old Ehinel Troncoso, identified as the suspect in the fatal shooting of an Uber driver on New Year's Day. The victim, 55-year-old Issa Mbolo-Isac, was shot in the head during what appears to be an attempted robbery near Morris Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway in Mount Hope. According to the chair of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, Fernando Mateo, Mbolo-Isac was a "great human being" and a devout Muslim. The driver, having finished a lengthy shift on New Year's Eve, was reportedly on his way to a mosque when the incident occurred, as recounted by Gothamist.
As detailed by ABC7NY, firefighters discovered Isac's body in a Blue Toyota Rav 4 while responding to a car fire. Dark and snowy surveillance footage captured Isac reversing his vehicle as an individual began pounding on the driver's side window. After Isac fled, two men chased after his vehicle. Prior to the violent confrontation, Isac had seemingly been involved in a minor traffic collision, which authorities believe led to the deadly shooting.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers has put forward a reward of $10,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of those responsible—the largest sum ever offered by the group. Personal accounts describe Isac as an exceptionally kind person, dedicated to his craft; his senseless death has deeply shaken his family, with roots extending all the way to Burkina Faso. This marked not only the first homicide of the year for New York City but also a tragic end to an individual who had sold his taxi medallion six years prior to work for Uber—a transition designed to provide a safer and more secure life for himself and his loved ones.
The police have yet to make an arrest in connection with the case. The NYPD has encouraged anyone with information about Mbolo-Isac’s killing to contact its Crime Stoppers Hotline or submit tips through their website. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by for-hire drivers in the city, a sentiment echoed by a friend of the victim, Mansour Massamba, who lamented, "The taxi drivers are the No. 1-targeted from the people in New York City," in a statement obtained by Gothamist. Isac's untimely departure follows a year when the city saw a decrease in homicides by 20%—a fragile trend of peace that was shattered on the very first day of 2026.
