Lyft Driver Shot By Passenger, Taken To Hospital: Sheriff

HOUSTON, TX — A Lyft driver was shot by a passenger in Houston on Monday night, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

The shooting occurred on FM 1960 near North Freeway, authorities said.

The driver suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The passenger fled after the shooting in what authorities believe was an attempted robbery, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

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"In recent weeks, we’ve had at least two carjackings [or] attempted carjackings of ride-hail drivers," Gonzalez said in a tweet. "Nationally, there seems to be an increase in crimes targeting rideshare drivers."

The Harris County Sheriff's Office is in the initial stages of its investigation, Gonzalez said.

"Safety is fundamental to Lyft and the incident described is terrifying," a Lyft spokesperson told Patch. "We're in touch with the driver to offer our support, have permanently removed the rider from the Lyft community, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation."