KEY POINTS:
A taxi driver killed by a single stab wound in Christchurch yesterday was a 39-year-old father of five.
Abdulrahman Ikhtiari's death was the second serious attack on a cabbie in the past week - the victim of the first incident, in Auckland, last night spoke of how the
knife narrowly missed his heart.
Ikhtiari was attacked and killed by two men in Worcester St about 1am yesterday. Christchurch police said no weapon had yet been found.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Johnson said Ikhtiari was a family man whose five children are believed to be aged between seven and 16. "He's going about his lawful business working as a taxi driver and he's been tragically killed."
Johnson said two men, believed to be about 180cm tall with dark skin and in their mid-20s, were seen running away. It was unclear if they had been passengers in the taxi.
Ikhitari's colleagues at United Taxi, where he had worked for 16 months, were devastated by his death.
Manager Lynne Ellwood visited the extended family yesterday. "The devastating part [is] the family of five children...that's not fair. He was a lovely family man, never had a bad word to say about him. Lots of drivers found him to be friendly."
Ellwood said Ikhtiari had been in New Zealand a few years.
Meanwhile, the taxi driver brutally stabbed in Auckland last week is angry his alleged attacker won't be facing an attempted murder charge.
Alexander Ershov, 23, is lucky to be alive after he was stabbed six times by a passenger in Mt Wellington nine days ago.
Jason Rangimaria Harris, 31, appeared in Auckland District Court on Thursday, charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery. He was remanded in custody.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cramer said he would not be facing any further charges.
"It should have been attempted murder, clearly," Ershov told the Herald on Sunday yesterday. "New Zealand needs to change the laws, it's becoming a ridiculous place to stay."
Ershov, who is Russian, moved to New Zealand from Moscow with his mother seven years ago and had been driving a taxi with VIP Cabs for only a couple of months.
Ershov picked up a man at the Viaduct at about 11.30 on that Friday night.
Ershov took his passenger, who was sitting in the front seat, to Bertrand Rd in Mt Wellington.
"The fare was $49. I told him $45 was sweet. He started looking for money. I waited while he looked for some coins. He gave me the $45, then he just started stabbing me."
Ershov was stabbed at least six times, in the chest, neck, back and arm.
The man then got out of the car and allegedly demanded Ershov give him all his money. He gave the man the $45 back, as well as his wallet.
After the attack Ershov drove to a nearby service station and asked staff for help.
Soon after Ershov blacked out. An ambulance took him to Auckland Hospital - he remembers arriving there and screaming with pain - and he underwent emergency surgery. He says the knife went through a lung but just missed his heart.
"That's my luck."
Ian Graham, president of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Taxi Federation and a driver for 24 years, said incidents of violence against taxi drivers were increasing every year. Now he only works in the day.
"I don't know what we can do about it."
Graham said the festive season was a particularly bad time. "There's more drinking and most of the incidents are alcohol-related. People tend to go out and think they're enjoying themselves, but they take it out on the cabbie on the way home."
