Tragedy Strikes New York City: First Murders and Fatal Traffic Crashes of 2026 Recorded
In a devastating start to the new year, two separate incidents in the Bronx and Queens claimed the lives of two men. The NYPD confirmed that this was the city's first murder and fatal traffic crash of 2026.
Issa Mbolo-Isac, a 55-year-old Uber driver, lost his life after being shot in the head near Morris Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway. Police found him with a gunshot wound shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday. According to taxi drivers' union chair Fernando Mateo, Mbolo-Isac was on his way to a mosque after a long New Year's Eve shift when two men approached his vehicle, tried to force him out, and shot at the car.
Mateo described Mbolo-Isac as "a great human being" who only gave of himself. The taxi federation is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the shooters' arrests, which would be the largest reward they've ever offered.
In another tragic incident in Corona, Queens, two pedestrians were killed in a hit-and-run accident at 4 a.m. The driver of a white SUV slammed into the men, who were crossing 102nd Street and 37th Avenue, causing one of them to be thrown into a parked vehicle and pinned underneath.
The impact was so powerful that the victim died instantly at the scene, while the other pedestrian, a 24-year-old man, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition. The driver who fled the scene is still being sought by investigators.
These two incidents mark the beginning of a difficult year for New York City, with police urging citizens to come forward with any information that might lead to justice for these victims and their families.
In a devastating start to the new year, two separate incidents in the Bronx and Queens claimed the lives of two men. The NYPD confirmed that this was the city's first murder and fatal traffic crash of 2026.
Issa Mbolo-Isac, a 55-year-old Uber driver, lost his life after being shot in the head near Morris Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway. Police found him with a gunshot wound shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday. According to taxi drivers' union chair Fernando Mateo, Mbolo-Isac was on his way to a mosque after a long New Year's Eve shift when two men approached his vehicle, tried to force him out, and shot at the car.
Mateo described Mbolo-Isac as "a great human being" who only gave of himself. The taxi federation is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the shooters' arrests, which would be the largest reward they've ever offered.
In another tragic incident in Corona, Queens, two pedestrians were killed in a hit-and-run accident at 4 a.m. The driver of a white SUV slammed into the men, who were crossing 102nd Street and 37th Avenue, causing one of them to be thrown into a parked vehicle and pinned underneath.
The impact was so powerful that the victim died instantly at the scene, while the other pedestrian, a 24-year-old man, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition. The driver who fled the scene is still being sought by investigators.
These two incidents mark the beginning of a difficult year for New York City, with police urging citizens to come forward with any information that might lead to justice for these victims and their families.
This is just so heartbreaking... two lives lost in such senseless ways. It's like, can't we all just get along? 
The Uber driver was trying to make a living and serve his community after a long shift, and he gets shot just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And those pedestrians, they were just walking home from who-knows-where... one of them got thrown into a car and crushed 
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It's just frustrating when you think about all the resources being poured into solving these cases and not enough attention on preventing them in the first place.
. The taxi federation's offer is a nice gesture, but I hope more people come forward with info because it's not just about the reward; it's about justice and closure for the families of these victims.
, I'm still trying to process how two lives were lost in separate incidents just at the start of 2026. The NYPD needs to revamp their traffic cameras 
, this is getting ridiculous! And what's with the lack of body cams for officers? It's like they're hiding something 
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They're saying one in five drivers will be involved in a crash. What kind of safety measures are they taking to prevent this from happening? The $10k reward is nice, but where was the driver doing all that time when he got shot? 
. We can't just keep relying on car culture. It's only a matter of time before someone else gets hurt. The taxi federation should be focusing on road safety, not just offering rewards for shooters 
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instead of this new one with all the fancy features. Less to confuse me, you know?
two people already murdered in 2026?! we need more gun control laws ASAP like what's going on here?! 
the taxi federation offering a $10k reward isnt gonna bring back issa mbolo-isac or those two pedestrians, we need to be doing more than just throwing money at this problem 
and btw why is it always about guns in these tragic incidents? can't we talk about mental health too? 
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And can we please get some more Uber drivers out there supporting the reward for Mbolo-Isac's family? $10k is nice, but it's not like that's gonna bring him back 
this is so heartbreaking, two lives cut short already in 2026... I can only imagine how tough it must be for Issa's family & loved ones to deal with the sudden loss. RIP 
I'm so over people expecting everything to be perfect all the time. Like, accidents are going to happen, it's just the way of life. I'm not saying that makes it okay or anything, but let's not get our hopes up thinking we can magically prevent these things from happening.
How can we confirm two murders and fatal traffic crashes when the year's barely begun? 
Are there any witnesses, surveillance footage or forensic evidence that's been released so far? 
I'm not buying it without seeing some concrete sources. 
it just feels like they're not doing enough to keep us safe on the roads 
gotta stay vigilant, that's all i can do right now...
and those responsible for this tragedy face the consequences. my thoughts are also with the other two pedestrians who lost their lives in that hit-and-run accident 
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. Two innocent lives lost in two different incidents, can't believe we're saying goodbye to 55-year-old Issa Mbolo-Isac 
. And that taxi federation is offering such a huge reward, $10k 
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. How can one person cause so much pain and destruction? 
. The police are still searching for that SUV driver, let's hope they catch him soon 
. My thoughts are with the families of these victims, RIP 
my heart goes out to Issa Mbolo-Isac's family and loved ones 
we need to look out for each other, especially when it comes to things like taxi drivers who are just trying to make a living and provide for their families 
. You feel for the victims' families, but at the same time, you gotta wonder if this is just the beginning of something worse. The police are asking for our help, but how much can we really do? It's all about raising awareness and hoping that someone sees something that might lead to a breakthrough