Lyft driver shot, carjacked by 2 passengers in Philadelphia, police say
A teenager was arrested in North Jersey on Thursday after police said a man who drives for Lyft in Philadelphia was shot and carjacked along Fairmount Avenue.
The 58-year-old driver picked up two passengers on the 900 block of Fairmount, who then announced a robbery once they got inside the car, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
One of the suspects brandished a gun and fired at least two shots, which hit the driver in the chest and arm.
Small said the driver was forced out of the car after the gunshots, and then the two suspects drove away in the car, described as a black 2025 Chevrolet – either a Malibu or an Impala, with Florida license plates.
Police responded to a 911 call around 2:30 a.m. and found the driver wounded near the corner of 11th Street and Fairmount Avenue. Medics took him to Jefferson University Hospital where he was placed in stable condition.
"There's no scene since the shooting took place inside of the vehicle," Small said. The driver had the key fob for the Chevy in his hand when officers found him, Small said. While some vehicles have security features that allow the car to run only when the fob is inside, Small said it was possible there was another fob inside the vehicle that would allow it to continue running.
The suspects were seen driving the vehicle southbound on 10th Street near Fairmount Avenue and detectives searched for more cameras that could track their path.
Just after 4 a.m., the vehicle was spotted on a camera operated by the New Providence Police Department in Union County, New Jersey, over 80 miles away from the robbery scene.
Investigators tracked the Chevrolet to Jersey City and arrested one suspect, a 17-year-old, recovering the stolen vehicle and a gun.
The teen is in custody in Jersey City, and police are still searching for the other suspect.
Small said the area where the pickup occurred is secluded with no homes nearby.
"That can be a very dangerous job, to be picking up total strangers especially at 2:30 or 2:40 in the morning in a secluded location like the 900 block of Fairmount," Small said.
This article has been updated with the latest information from Philadelphia police and which rideshare service employed the victim.