Uber was already in a lot of trouble and now a new controversy has made things worse for the ride-hailing service after its driver shot and killed a passenger due to a probable argument.
NBC News affiliate KUSA-TV reported that on Denver interstate, during the wee hours of June 1, around 2:45am, an Uber driver and a passenger got involved in an alleged conflict that arose inside the vehicle during the ride. The conflict resulted in the driver shooting and killing the passenger.
The passenger was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead, whereas the driver was released from the hospital after receiving minor treatment. The suspect, 29-year-old Michael Hancock, was later arrested on Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder that left one man dead, a police press release said. The victim, however, has not yet been publicly identified, as per CNN.
Uber adds 911 ‘panic button’ for safety of passengers
Denver Police Department spokesperson Sonny Jackson said that investigators believe that the driver and passenger got into an argument in the vehicle. The argument resulted in the passenger being shot multiple times by the driver and eventually died. The vehicle, a silver Nissan sedan, swerved off the road and crashed on a wall on a highway ramp.
As per Daily Mail, investigators said that the driver called 911 to report the shooting. He also reportedly informed a witness that he open fired after his customer tried attacking him. Hancock, however, refused to discuss the incident with the investigators without a lawyer.
It was reported that the driver had been working in Uber for three years. Uber representative informed Business Insider that they think the incident took place during the ride. “We are deeply troubled by the events in Denver today. Our thoughts are with the families of those involved. The driver's access to the app has been removed, and we will continue working closely with police.”
Uber prohibits its drivers and passengers to carry firearms into vehicles while using the app. The app recently also launched a ‘panic button’ feature that lets users call 911 immediately in case of emergency.