San Diego

A 25-year-old cabdriver who was shot in the back of the head as he fled his cab in East San Diego early Monday died Wednesday at Mercy Hospital, authorities said.

Michael Anthony Carroll of the 7100 block of El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego had been declared brain dead Tuesday evening, but doctors kept him on a respirator so they could use his organs for transplants, hospital spokeswoman Sue Flannery said. An independent contractor with Coast Cab since December, he was the victim of one of four assaults on cabdrivers that began early Saturday, authorities said.

There were no serious injuries in the three other incidents, and police were unsure Wednesday if the robberies were connected.

Carroll was shot in an alley that runs parallel to the 5700 block of Bates Street. The gunman, who remains at large, fired two shots from a 9-millimeter handgun about 1 a.m. after Carroll gave him his money, police said.

Debbie Post, general manager of Coast Cab in San Diego, said Wednesday that “we are going to do everything we can to avoid sending a cab out” in the area of Bates Street.

“That’s a shame,” she said, “because there are a lot of honest people in that area who will have to fight to get a cab.”

According to police, Carroll picked up the man in front of an apartment complex on Bates Street and took him to a liquor store nearby. After returning to an alley that runs behind the apartments, the man drew a pistol and demanded Carroll’s money.

After surrendering his cash, Carroll was ordered from the cab, then started running, and was shot, police said.