A Lyft driver in Chicago, Illinois, was arrested after getting into a dispute with a passenger, which led to gunfire in a movie theater.
Lyft ( Photo: NPR )
The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday when Babacar Mbengue, a 35-year-old Lyft driver
He got into an argument with a 16-year-old passenger over the price charged by Lyft. The argument allegedly occurred when Mbengue was dropping the passenger off at the ICON Theatre on Delano Court.
According to reports, during the altercation, the teenager dropped a loaded 9mm handgun which Mbengue picked up and fired seven shots into the air inside the theater. Both Mbengue and the teenager were taken into police custody, and Mbengue was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, while the teenager was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, both of which are felonies.
Lyft responded to the incident, saying, “Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and the incident described is terrifying. We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft platform and stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation.”
Lyft’s website specifies that passengers must be 18 years or older to open an account, and unaccompanied minors are prohibited from taking Lyft. The company’s policy states that if a driver suspects that a passenger is underage, it is up to the driver to ask the passenger to confirm their age. If the passenger is, in fact, underage, the driver must cancel the trip.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of ride-hailing services and their drivers
The incident highlights the importance of safety measures that companies such as Lyft and Uber have implemented to protect their passengers and drivers. The incident also shows the need for better regulations and background checks for ride-hailing drivers.
Overall, this incident is a reminder of the importance of safety and the need for better measures to protect passengers and drivers. It also highlights the need for ride-hailing companies to implement stricter regulations and background checks to ensure the safety of their users.
