Anthony Mohamed

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police Wednesday arrested a 26-year-old man who is accused of shooting a taxi driver on Thanksgiving.

Anthony Mohamed of the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh is charged with aggravated assault, attempted homicide and recklessly endangering another person.

The driver, a 38-year-old Muslim man whose name has not been released, works for Cranberry Taxi Service, an affiliate of Pittsburgh-based Star Transportation Group.

According to police, early on the morning of Thanksgiving, the driver, a Moroccan immigrant, drove Mohamed from Rivers Casino to a residence on Second Avenue in Hazelwood.

Police say surveillance video shows Mohamed leaving Rivers Casino and getting into the cab just after 1 a.m.

Mohamed allegedly told the driver he needed to get his wallet in his house, but returned with a rifle and began firing as the driver sped away.

A bullet struck the driver in the back.

He later was treated at UPMC Mercy Hospital.

The FBI also is investigating the incident, because it may have been racially motivated.

Police Chief Cameron McLay released a statement Wednesday saying that he had met with officials from the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Interfaith Network to update them on the investigation.

“The rest of our discussion was centered upon how we move forward to improve communication and trust between the police and our Islamic communities,” he said in the statement.

Mohamed was previously convicted and sentenced to time in prison by Allegheny County Court for numerous crimes in the past several years, including simple assault, terroristic threats, DUI and theft.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, according to a release from the police department.