A 39-year-old Uber driver was shot six times by passengers Thursday night in Akron, leaving her hospitalized with gunshot wounds to her abdomen and arm.
The driver from Bedford was working in Akron’s Goodyear Heights neighborhood when the shooting occurred around 9:24 p.m. in the 500 block of Sanford Avenue. During the ride, one of the suspects brandished a firearm and shot the victim six times, striking her in the abdomen and arm, according to Akron police.
Police told FOX 8 News on Friday that the shooter was wearing a mask. Both suspects fled the area on foot and remain at large. Police did not provide descriptions of the suspects.
The driver is in stable condition, police said. She was transported to Summa Health Akron following the shooting.
“We’re not certain why this escalated to this point, and why someone would shoot her,” said Akron Police Lt. Michael Murphy Jr. The incident did not appear to be a robbery attempt, leaving the motive deeply uncertain.
The shooting disturbed nearby residents. “My first thing is to tell my kids to hit the floor, and then my second thing is to call 911,” says Diane, who lives just feet from where the car sat during the shooting. Another neighbor, Max Siglow, recounted “We were watching a movie and then we just hear ‘pop, pop, pop.'”
The shooting is the latest in a string of crimes committed against service drivers in Akron. In April, a pizza delivery driver was injured after she was run over by someone stealing her car. In May, someone fired a rifle at a Lyft driver, and she was hit by a bullet fragment on Bisson Avenue. Last month, a rideshare driver was carjacked on Garth Avenue after picking up two men. In June, passengers robbed a rideshare driver of his vehicle in the 2200 block of 25th Street SW, with one of the men pulling out a gun and ordering the driver and women out of the car.
“If you’re a rideshare driver and you experience anything that’s suspicious, or you have concerns related to individuals that are inside of the car, please pull over, cancel the ride,” Lt. Michael Murphy advised.
Uber issued a statement saying “We are shocked and sickened by this violence” and confirmed they have banned the rider from the platform and are cooperating with police to bring those responsible to justice.
Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit responded and are actively investigating this incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip.
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