SA国际影视传媒淲e used to call him Uncle Ahmed.SA国际影视传媒�

Fadil Memedi, a former Yellowknife taxi driver, warmly recalls the moniker he and fellow cabbies gave, out of respect, to Ahmed Mahamud Ali, a longtime driver who died early Monday morning after being found unconscious inside his cab.

On Tuesday, Yellowknife charged 18-year-old Elias Schiller with murder in connection with the death of Ali, who was located in the backseat of his City Cab taxi outside Stanton Territorial Hospital around 4:45 a.m. Monday morning.  No other individuals have been in relation to the death.

SA国际影视传媒淗e was one of the nicest guys in the industry,SA国际影视传媒� said Memedi in an interview with Yellowknifer Wednesday.

SA国际影视传媒淧ossibly even one of the nicest guys in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�

Ali worked on and off as a cab driver in the city for more than 20 years.  

If a passenger was aggressive or skipped out on their fare, Ali wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 even try to argue with them, recalled Memedi, who retired from cab driving in the 1990s.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 strange how it happens to the nicest people,SA国际影视传媒� said Memedi, adding if you met Ali once, SA国际影视传媒渉e was your friend.SA国际影视传媒�

City Cab Ltd. general manager Shirley McGrath, who was SA国际影视传媒渧ery shakenSA国际影视传媒� following news of AliSA国际影视传媒檚 death - deemed SA国际影视传媒渟uspiciousSA国际影视传媒� by Mounties on Monday - said the arrest of Elias and the charge laid by police brings a SA国际影视传媒済reat deal of relief.SA国际影视传媒�

In the wake of AliSA国际影视传媒檚 death,  policy and security changes could be coming to City Cab Ltd., said McGrath.

Currently, City Cab Ltd. vehicles arenSA国际影视传媒檛 equipped with emergency contact buttons. At one point, McGrath said, an emergency contact was built into vehicle meters - an option that ceased when the company revamped its in-car technology.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at getting a new computer system, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e hoping that will have something built in that will allow for emergency contact,SA国际影视传媒� said McGrath.

Those decisions will be weighed when the City Cab Ltd. board of directors meet next Wednesday, said McGrath.

Along with emergency contact buttons, the introduction of cameras and barriers between drivers and passengers will SA国际影视传媒渄efinitely be on the agenda,SA国际影视传媒� at the meeting, she said.

McGrath added some driverSA国际影视传媒檚 cabs feature cameras, but those upgrades are left up to individual drivers and how much money they want to invest into their vehicles.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 McGrathSA国际影视传媒檚 understanding that AliSA国际影视传媒檚 cab was not equipped with a camera.

She said the companySA国际影视传媒檚 GPS system lost contact with Ali early Monday morning in the Wilkinson Crescent area.

Mounties are now urging residents to come forward if they witnessed any suspicious activity in that area, along with Fraser Arms West or East and the Stanton Territorial Hospital emergency entrance.

AliSA国际影视传媒檚 last recorded fare, she said, ended with someone in the vehicle pressing the meterSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渂ooked free,SA国际影视传媒� feature, which means a driver is available to pick up another passenger.

In the wake of AliSA国际影视传媒檚 death, a taxi driver in the city, who wished to remain anonymous, told Yellowknifer heSA国际影视传媒檚 being SA国际影视传媒渕uch more careful," on the road. 

Just two weeks ago, the driver said, he was punched in the head by passenger who didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have the money to pay his fare.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I donSA国际影视传媒檛 drive at night,SA国际影视传媒� another driver told Yellowknifer.

Fadil Memedi said crime in the city has worsened since his time as a cab driver, citing stabbing attempts and assaults in recent years.

If he were just starting out as a driver today, heSA国际影视传媒檇 SA国际影视传媒渨eigh his options differently,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

While McGrath said her employees SA国际影视传媒渉avenSA国际影视传媒檛 really raised any concerns,SA国际影视传媒� about the threat of violence while out on the road, she added itSA国际影视传媒檚 been a SA国际影视传媒渃hallenge to get people to drive at night.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭hey donSA国际影视传媒檛 like dealing with people who are drunk and often they donSA国际影视传媒檛 get paid for those fares or if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 risk of violence,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

A funeral for Ali is set to be in held in Edmonton on Friday.