Uber Driver Not Facing Charges in Shooting Death

AVENTURA — An Uber driver may have violated company policy, but appears to have saved his life and possibly the life of his passenger on Sunday when he opened fire on an armed bandit who cut off his Toyota Corolla on the way to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The attacker, identified by Aventura police as 24-year-old Kevin DeVincent Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

"Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the victim in this case acted in self-defense and there are no pending charges against him at this time," explained Sgt. Chris Goranitis of the Aventura Police Department at a Monday afternoon press conference in police headquarters.

The incident occurred between 5:30 to 6 a.m. Sunday morning under the Lehman Causeway in the 3500 block of NE 192nd Street. The causeway connects Aventura with Sunny Isles Beach.

Police identified the Uber driver as 29-year-old Namique Anderson of the 6000 block of SW 38th Street, Miramar.

Shortly after Anderson picked up his passenger, 43-year-old Michael Ferre of the 3300 block of NE 192nd Street in Aventura, he made a u-turn and was heading West on NE 192nd Street when he was cut off by a rented Dodge Caravan, according to police.

That's when Johnson hopped out of the Caravan brandishing two handguns.

"He had two firearms in his hands," said Goranitis. "He pointed them at the Uber driver and he made some demands to the driver, threatening to shoot him if he didn’t provide him with those demands. The Uber driver had a firearm of his own. He fired off four rounds and he hit the subject who was pronounced deceased at the scene."

Goranitis said there was a second person in the suspect's vehicle, who slid into the driver's seat of the Caravan and fled.

Police said that Johnson had also committed an armed robbery in Broward County about an hour before he preyed upon the Uber driver.

Uber has not yet responded to a Patch request for comment. Under the company's firearms prohibition policy, the ridesharing company states: "Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a safe and reliable ride. That's why Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms of any kind in a vehicle while using our app. Anyone who violates this policy may lose access to Uber."

Goranitis said that the incident appears to have been a random crime of opportunity and that Anderson was licensed to have the firearm.

"The victim was not targeted as an Uber Driver and there was no indication that the subject knew that the victim was an Uber driver," according to Goranitis, who said that the Caravan was subsequently located in Broward County.

"We are investigating a second person of interest at this time that may have been involved in this robbery," Goranitis said, noting that police are questioning the person. "We are working with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office and cannot release any further information about this individual due to our active investigation and possible pending charges."

Photo of Kevin DeVincent Johnson courtesy of Aventura Police Department.