There was a taxi-man throw down this afternoon in front of the Ocean Ferry Water taxi terminal - just off the swing bridge. Two taxi-men got into a brawl. One pulled out a machete and chopped the other. It was a big scene and the police came to break up the brawl - reportedly firing warning shots in the downtown area. Eyewitnesses say it all started because of a quarrel over an airport run.
Andy Richardson, Chief Security - Ocean Ferry
"I just saw when Buckley went into the terminal."
Reporter
"Buckley is a taxi man?"
Andy Richardson
"He is a taxi man driving for Ocean Ferry and Mr. Gerald, he is from that side and then when Buckley came inside, I saw Mr. Gerald came behind and start a wrestling inside and I took them outside. On the scene, they had 2 policemen. Then after that I told what happened and then I called the officer and they start fighting outside."
Reporter
"The police officers were there and they saw when the 2 taxi men started to fight."
Andy Richardson
"They left them and they went across the bridge. So after that when they went outside they started the argument and the chopping started."
Reporter
"Who chopped who?"
Andy Richardson
"Mr. Buckley chopped Mr. Gerald."
Reporter
"So he went to get his machete from his car?"
Andy Richardson
"Took out his machete and then Mr. Gerald went behind the other car with a spanner and threw it at Buckley, then Buckley started the chopping."
Reporter
"Where did he chopped the guy?"
Andy Richardson
"On his arm. He had 2-3 chops. But I don't want anything to happened in the terminal, so I just put them outside."
Reporter
"Did you hear what they were arguing about?"
Andy Richardson
"This morning Mr. Gerald's son came to pick up an airport run and then it seems like Mr. Buckley didn't want him to come inside to pick up his run and that I think is the reason that caused the problem."
Reporter
"Issue about taxi runs."
Andy Richardson
"A job from here to the airport is like $25US ($50BZE) a score the guy going to make for the day."
The taxi-man got a big gash on his hand - and was taken to the hospital. He has not yet given police a statement. Information is that the police had to fire 3 or 4 shots in the air to get the taxi man to put down the machete. Disputes between competing taxi-men at bus stops and water terminals are very frequent.
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