Back Bay Taxi Driver Murder: Man Held Without Bail

BOSTON — The man who police say shot and killed a taxi driver in the middle of the day and then stole his cab near the Prudential Tower Tuesday was held without bail Wednesday. Although there have been several dozen shootings in Boston so far this year, the rare daytime shooting stunned many in the bustling Back Bay area.

"This is something we don't see in Boston," Mayor Marty Walsh said in a news conference after the shooting. "We very rarely have a daytime shooting in the city of Boston. It's horrible and it's sad."

Phillip Foy, 34, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was charged with murder, armed carjacking and gun violations. At his arraignment Wednesday in Boston Municipal Court he was held without bail in connection with the murder of Luckinson Oruma, 60, of Dorchester.

The judge allowed Foy to stay hidden during the arraignment, according to MassLive. This prompted a family member to shout "He's a coward," the outlet reported first.

Prosecutors said when Foy was interviewed by police he told police he stole Oruma’s cab and drove to Ring Road, then got out and left his gun and shoes there prosecutors said during the arraignment. Shortly after the shooting, police found Foy sitting at a table outside of the Shaw’s grocery store, prosecutors said.

Details of just what happened Tuesday are still coming to light, but here's what we know so far:

• 10:56 a.m.: Foy got into a cab and asked the driver, Oruma, to take him to Mansfield. But Oruma refused, according to prosecutors.
• 10:57: Foy gets out of the cab, pulls the driver out of the front seat and shoots him multiple times, according to prosecutors.
• 10:58 a.m.: A number of people called police reporting someone was shot in the area of 120 Huntington Ave. near the Prudential Center.
• When police got there they found a man, later identified as a taxi driver, suffering from life-threatening injuries.
• The man was transported to a local hospital where he later died.
• A number of witnesses told police that the man believed to have shot the driver had driven off in a taxi cab.
• A detail officer in the area helped police find the cab.
• Police found Foy sitting at a table outside of Shaw's on Ring Road, where he was placed under arrest in the area of 1 Ring Road in the Back Bay, according to police and prosecutors.
• Police did not release the name the victim. But prosecutors identified him as Luckinson Oruma, of Dorchester. He was a father of five.
• Oruma drove a cab for Independent Taxi.
• Huntington Road and Ring Road and areas near the Colonnade Hotel were closed for several hours Tuesday as police continued their investigation.

Related:

• Man Shot To Death Near Prudential Center In Broad Daylight

Watch authorities discuss the shooting during a news conference via NBC 10 after the shooting:

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).