March 24, 2025

Uber Driver Shot Twice in Philadelphia Shooting on 27 Feb 2025

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Philadelphia Shooting
Image Credit: Reuters

The Spring Garden section was the scene of a Philadelphia shooting of a Lyft driver who was twice shot and carjacked, on February 27, 2025. The 58-year-old driver began driving around 11th Street and Fairmount Avenue and picked up two passengers at 2:30 a.m. On the ride, the passenger demanded his wallet and shot him in the chest and arm when he tried to get away.

The assault left him with a broken cheekbone, torn retina, and a damaged ear canal and bushy ear, for which he was hospitalized and, after unfortunately drowning there, underwent surgery. He was robbed of his black 2024 Chevy Malibu, tracked to Jersey City, New Jersey and a 17-year-old suspect was arrested there. He is hospitalized in stable condition, but the driver is not out of the woods.

Who Is the 58-Year-Old Uber Driver Involved in the Incident?

An experienced Uber driver, 58, was the man behind bars for the role he played in the carjacking and Philadelphia shooting that happened in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia on Feb. 27, 2025. He was on duty at the time of the incident and had just picked up two passengers at the 900 block of Fairmount Avenue. He was shot twice but displayed resilience in seeking help after having such a traumatic experience.

Why Was Fairmount Avenue Chosen for This Ride?

Looking at the Philadelphia shooting we get to know that fairmount Avenue is a large east-west road in Philadelphia from the Schuylkill River to the Delaware River. The location of where the driver picked up his passengers is at the Fairmount, Art Museum neighborhood, a place that is famous for its cultural doors such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art. With a Walk score of 94 this area will allow you to complete the daily errands without ever having to use a car, and it provides several public transportation options, which makes this an easy to reach and lively part of the city.

How Did Carjacking Unfold?

Now let’s understand how the Philadelphia shooting actually happened . At about 2:30am, a 58-year old Lyft driver picked up two male passengers at 900 block of Fairmount Avenue in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia. One passenger brandished a handgun when they entered the vehicle, demanded the driver’s wallet and threatened to shoot him. The assailant was then firing multiple shots as the driver tried to drive away, striking him in the chest and arm. But the suspects forced the driver out of the car, chilling on the scene before fleeing in his black 2024 Chevy Malibu which was later traced to Jersey City, New Jersey where a 17 year old suspect was arrested.

What Do We Know About the Suspects’ Approach?

Beginning with the selection of a secluded pickup location at 11th Street and Fairmount Avenue, a crime scene whose intervention was minimised in order to plan the attack with intensity, they managed to meticulously plan and execute Philadelphia shooting. One of the suspects upon entry threatened the driver with a firearm and demanded his wallet. The assailant then fired several shots as the driver tried to drive away, hitting the driver in the chest and the arm.

He was then forced out and the suspects drove away in his black 2024 Chevy Malibu, which was later linked to Jersey City, New Jersey. A 17 year old male was apprehended and a firearm was recovered, but the second suspect is not in custody.

The Severity of the Driver’s Wounds

The 58-year-old Lyft driver walked them two blocks before he begged for help following the Philadelphia shooting. Medical staff at the hospital reported that with the gunshot wounds he managed to avoid vital organs. He is expected to recover and the driver is in stable condition.

What Happened to the Uber Driver’s Car?

While the four assailants were robbing a Lyft driver of a ride in Philadelphia’s Spring Garden section, they got their target: a black 2024 Chevrolet Malibu with Florida license plates. Surveillance footage showed the stolen vehicle south on 10th Street and they were able to trace the vehicle after the incident. The following day of the Philadelphia shooting, the vehicle was traced to Jersey City, New Jersey where a 17 year old was arrested and the car was recovered. The teen was also arrested at the time with a firearm. The second suspect is still to be found by authorities involved in the carjacking.

How Did the Police Handle the Situation?

Philadelphia police, in response to the shooting and carjacking of a Lyft driver on Feb. 27, 2025, in the Spring Garden section, moved quickly. The stolen vehicle after Philadelphia shooting was surveillance tracked traveling south on 10th Street. New Jersey law enforcement collaboration brought the vehicle back to Jersey City where a 17 year old was apprehended. Authorities are searching for the second assailant in the incident.

Safety measures for rideshare drivers and the necessity of advanced security protocols are being taken up after the Philadelphia shooting incident. Investigations continue and the community is watchful, waiting to see what yet unfolds in the case.