77-year-old Uber driver killed, 22-year-old passenger in critical condition after Center City shooting
After the shooting, police say, the two gunmen got into a Jeep SUV and fled the scene.
A 77-year-old Uber driver was shot and killed as he was picking up a passenger in Center City early Wednesday in what police believe was a targeted ambush.
Just before 2 a.m., police responded to the area of 18th and Sansom Streets, outside the Byblos restaurant and hookah lounge, and found two men who had been shot near a black Chevy Suburban that had crashed, said Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore.
The driver, whom police did not identify, had been shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, Vanore said.
The passenger, a 22-year-old man whom police did not identify, had been shot in an arm, the stomach, and the chest, Vanore said, and was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was in critical condition.
A spokesperson for Uber said in an emailed statement: “Our hearts break for the driver’s family and loved ones in the wake of this devastating loss. We’ve reached out to police to offer our support as they work to bring those responsible for this heinous act of violence to justice.”
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and saw two men, both wearing dark clothing, walk toward the passenger as he was picked up by the driver outside the lounge and begin to open fire, police said.
As the shooting began, they said, the passenger jumped into the back of the SUV as the driver tried to pull away.
The gunmen then got into what police believe was a Jeep SUV and fled.
Police have released no motive for the crime, but Vanore said the shooters appear to have targeted the 22-year-old.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.