RICHMOND, Va. β A Lyft driver is recovering after being shot in the shoulder while on the job in Richmond's East End early Sunday morning, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett.
Crime tape lined Old Denny Street near Gillies Creek Park after the shooting, which occurred just after 12:30 a.m.
Sources told Burkett that the shooter was not a passenger but someone outside the vehicle.
"I'm skeptical about things now," said one neighbor about the incident. "My guard is always up."
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was relieved to learn that the driver's injuries were not life-threatening.
There were 23 fatal physical assaults involving a Lyft driver or passenger between 2020 and 2022, according to the rideshare company's most recent transparency report. Lyft estimates this represents a chance of one in every 62 million rides.
Officials with the company said that weapons are prohibited, and technology is in place to monitor unusual activity like long stops or route deviations. Lyft said they will 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.
Sources confirmed that one person has been detained. Richmond Police are still questioning them.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.
"Crime is everywhere to certain extent," the neighbor said. "It's life and you just have to be cautious."
If you have information that could help detectives, call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or submit a tip online at https://rvacrimestoppers.org. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All three Crime Stoppers methods of contact are anonymous.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
π²: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
