The employer of a Miami cab driver facing charges after a shootout with police that wounded two bystanders said he's dumbfounded over the arrest.
Frantzy Armand, 29, is facing attempted murder and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer charges in the Tuesday morning incident that began in Miami.
"We didn't know. When we hear by the radio we tried to see if it was our cab involved," said Yehuda Aroch, with Central Cab.
North Miami Police said Armand jumped out of his cab and starting shooting at a Miami Police officer with an assault rifle before he stole a police car. He opened fire on a second officer and wounded two pedestrians in the process in North Miami, police said.
Armand was wounded in the shootout and remained hospitalized Wednesday. No officers were injured.
At the cab dispatch company Wednesday, Aroch said Armand had passed the stringent security and insurance checks they require and had never caused any trouble.
"This guy is a very quiet guy. Honestly, I see him three or four times a week, he's very calm, he's nice guy," he said. "I don't know what's happened."
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Police said the two civilians Armand shot will be ok. One has already been released from the hospital.
Even though he wasn't physically there, at a bond court hearing Wednesday, a judge ruled there is probable cause to hold him on the charges.
In an exclusive interview on the eve of the violence, Armand's mother told NBC 6 she had no idea he even had a weapon.
"I'm very sorry. I'm very sorry that happened to them," Micale Chery said.
Chery said she had spoken to him on April 10th and there was no indication of trouble.
Detectives in Miami and North Miami are still working with prosecutors to see exactly what the extra charges are going to be.
