RICHMOND, Va. β A 46-year-old Richmond man has been arrested and charged after firing a gun at a Lyft river and passenger in Richmond Saturday night.
Richmond Police responded to two related calls within minutes of each other.
At about 11:39 p.m., officers were called to the 800 block of Old Denny Street, not far from Gillies Creek Park, for a report of shots fired.
A witness reported that a man had fired shots while in the street.
Two minutes later, another caller reported an injured driver was parked about a mile away in the 2700 block of East Main Street in Shockoe Bottom.
Officers found two men in the vehicle β a driver and passenger.
The driver had suffered an apparent gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital with an injury that was not considered life-threatening. The vehicle's rear window was broken. The passenger was not injured.
Detectives determined the shooter on Old Denny Street fired his gun toward the vehicle after the driver picked up the passenger as a ride share.
Police arrested Elwood Lewis, 46, of Richmond, and charged him with shooting into an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Additional charges are pending.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was relieved to learn that the driver's injuries were not life-threatening.
"I'm skeptical about things now," the neighbor about the shooting. "My guard is always up."
Officials with Lyft said that weapons are prohibited, and technology is in place to monitor unusual activity like long stops or route deviations.
Lyft said they would reach out to the rider or driver to check in if a ride seems suspicious and states the app also has an integrated emergency response system.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Sergeant Mocello at 804-646-6775 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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