A Lyft driver was shot in the upper back as he drove away from several masked men during an attempted robbery at a northwest Atlanta home over the weekend, authorities said.
The shooting, part of an alleged rideshare ruse, happened at about 10:45 p.m. Saturday in the 1700 block of Detroit Avenue. Officers later found the 43-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound in the 4000 block of Fulton Industrial Boulevard after police said he drove there following the shooting.
The Lyft driver, whose native language is French, was treated by medical crews at the scene. Police said he was conscious and breathing.
The incident involved both Fulton County and Atlanta police and began when the driver went to pick up two women from the home on Detroit Avenue, according to an Atlanta police report obtained Wednesday.
Instead, when he arrived, he said five men approached his vehicle from “out of nowhere,” the report stated. Two were wearing ski masks and black clothing.
Police said one of the men opened a rear door of the driver’s car. The driver then tried to leave, but the door was damaged and wouldn’t close.
Soon after, several shots were fired at the driver, police said. One struck him in his upper back, according to the report. Still, he was able to drive more than five miles to a pawn shop on Fulton Industrial Boulevard, where “he had located” Fulton police, the report stated. Fulton officers then told responding Atlanta police about the situation.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that the male was the victim of an attempted armed robbery, and when he fled from the suspects, he was subsequently shot,” Atlanta police said in a statement.
According to the report, officers saw bullet holes in the driver‘s seat headrest, along with a damaged taillight and rear fender, a shattered rear windshield and a front flat tire. Authorities said the requested rideshare trip was still active in the driver‘s Lyft app, and they could see the Detroit Avenue address as the pickup location before the ride was canceled.
After getting to the home, officers said they found shell casings and broken glass, “corroborating” what the victim told police. The residence is near Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Joseph E. Boone Boulevard.
Atlanta police have not shared additional information about the suspects. An investigation is ongoing.
In a statement, a Lyft spokesperson said the company reached out to the driver to offer support.
“The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or society,” the spokesperson said. “We have permanently removed the rider from the Lyft platform and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct the location of the driver’s injury. He was shot in the back.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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