Thursday night at around 2:30am 53-year-old cab driver Robbi “Doc” Lambert picked up two passengers in Tacoma's Hilltop area on South 8th and State. What happened next isn't completely known, but one of the passengers shot Doc in the head.
Despite his injury, he was able to call dispatch and report what happened. This probably saved his life. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital and still is listed in serious condition.
The description and identity of the attackers is unknown. Unfortunately the time and place of the attack doesn't yield a large amount of witnesses.
Being a cab driver is one the the nation's most dangerous jobs. A cab driver in Tacoma makes something between $200-$400 a night. This isn't enough for anyone with a brain to shoot someone. Unfortunately no one needs to pass an intelligence test to shoot a gun. Despite the danger people still do the job. And the job is a social one. The more friendly you are the more money you can make. Also the more you let down your guard. There are cab companies that put bulletproof glass between the back and front seats. But that doesn't do a lot of good if they don't armor the seats themselves or the windows of the cab. All of which costs enough money that it's not really worth it to the cab company.
It's hard to say what, if anything, could stop the common street criminal from these acts of senseless violence. I don't take a cab too often but when I do, I tip big. They're one of the only people you tip who are taking any genuine risks. In some ways they're like police officers or firefighters. They perform a public service for far less than they should and take risks the rest of us won't do and wouldn't want to.
Here's hoping Doc makes a full recovery and those repsonsible are brought to justice.
-Jack
