An Uber driver in Columbia, Illinois, was critically injured after being shot in the face by a passenger during an attempted escape to safety at a local police station. The 52-year-old driver, whose identity has yet to be released, was working yesterday when the violent incident occurred shortly after picking up two males in North St. Louis. Fox 2 Now reported that the driver was held at gunpoint before diverting to the Columbia Police Department, where he was shot.
According to KSDK, the confrontation began to quickly escalate after the passengers, aged 17 and 20, demanded to be driven to the driver's residence in Columbia. In an attempt to likely save himself, the driver instead brought the vehicle to the police department's parking lot where one of the suspects then shot him in the face as the car came to a stop. Despite the grim circumstances, the local police have stated that the driver is expected to recover from his injuries.
The suspects fled on foot towards Bolm-Schuhkraft Memorial City Park, prompting a rapid response from local law enforcement. Multiple agencies participated in the manhunt, including the deployment of K9 and drone units from Columbia Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. First Alert 4 highlighted that the pursuit ended successfully when a drone followed a silver GMC SUV picking up two individuals from the woods, who were believed to be the passengers involved in the shooting.
All four individuals in the GMC were taken into custody following a felony traffic stop. A firearm, presumed to be the weapon used in the attack, was recovered. The Columbia Police Department is actively collaborating with Illinois State Attorney Ryan Webb to pursue criminal charges against the four individuals detained, as disclosed by law enforcement officials. Police have firmly committed to provide additional updates as the investigation progresses.
