{"id":59248,"date":"2018-02-20T06:03:26","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T06:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=59248"},"modified":"2018-02-20T06:03:26","modified_gmt":"2018-02-20T06:03:26","slug":"uber-eats-driver-charged-with-murder-in-the-shooting-death-of-a-customer-police-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/uber-eats-driver-charged-with-murder-in-the-shooting-death-of-a-customer-police-say.html","title":{"rendered":"Uber Eats driver charged with murder in the shooting death of a customer, police say"},"content":{"rendered":"

Uber Eats driver charged with murder in the shooting death of a customer, police say<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

An Uber Eats driver has been charged with murder in the shooting death of a customer Saturday in Atlanta.<\/span><\/p>\n

Authorities said Robert Bivines, 36, opened fire on 30-year-old Ryan Thornton late Saturday night in the city\u2019s Buckhead neighborhood. Witnesses told police that after Bivines delivered the customer\u2019s meal, he fired multiple shots, hitting Thornton, and then fled from the scene.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bivines turned himself in Monday and was booked into the Fulton County Jail on a murder charge, his attorney, Jackie Patterson, said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patterson said there was an argument before the shooting and that his client had tried to protect himself. \u201cThere\u2019s no question that my client was defending himself,\u201d he told The Washington Post on Monday, saying that the customer had become aggressive \u2014 reaching into his coat pocket and charging at the driver. \u201cIt was clear self-defense.\u201d the attorney said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Officers responded to the scene about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, as the victim was being rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Police said Thornton suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later died of his injuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Witnesses told police that the victim had used Uber\u2019s food delivery service to order a meal. They said that when the delivery arrived, Thornton met the driver and received his order; then, as Thornton walked away, \u201cwords may have been exchanged\u201d between the two men, police said in a statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Police said shots were fired from the delivery vehicle, striking Thornton.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patterson said that Bivines told him that Thornton was agitated by the time Bivines arrived because the driver had issues finding the location. Patterson said that when Bivines gave Thornton his food order, Thornton \u201cjerked it\u201d away and cursed at the driver. Thornton then reached into his jacket pocket and shouted \u201cI\u2019m going to f\u2014 you up,\u201d according to Bivines\u2019s attorney.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patterson said Bivines thought the customer had a gun and that he tried to defend himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

An unidentified man who said he was Thornton\u2019s uncle told NBC affiliate WXIA that his nephew had recently received a political science degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta and had started a new job. \u201cRyan was a good boy,\u201d he told the station.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Uber spokesman said that the company is cooperating with investigators in the shooting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are shocked and saddened by this news,\u201d the spokesman said in a statement. \u201cWe are working with the Atlanta Police Department, and our hearts go out to the families of those involved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Uber launched Uber Eats several years ago as a food delivery app in which drivers pick up meals from local restaurants and deliver them to customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Uber, drivers are required to undergo a screening process, which checks driving histories and criminal histories, including the national sex offender registry. In addition, Uber bars both drivers and riders from carrying firearms in the vehicles, \u201cto the extent permitted by applicable law,\u201d according to the company\u2019s firearm policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to ensure that everyone has a safe and reliable ride. That\u2019s why Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms of any kind in a vehicle while using our app,\u201d Uber says on its website. The company said that drivers or riders who fail to comply with the policy may be banned from Uber.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/post-nation\/wp\/2018\/02\/19\/uber-eats-driver-on-the-run-after-a-customer-was-shot-and-killed-police-say\/?utm_term=.a93bbfc429e2<\/span><\/p>\n

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