DENVER — An Uber driver shot and killed a passenger on Interstate 25 early Friday morning, the Denver Police Department said.
The shooting happened about 2:45 a.m. as the vehicle passed over the University Boulevard bridge and forced the closure of southbound Interstate 25 for more than five hours.
The interstate reopened about 8:15 a.m. and the on-ramp from University Boulevard to southbound I-25 reopened about 9:30 a.m.
As the silver Honda sedan was passing over the University Boulevard bridge, the shooting took place. The vehicle then veered off the road and slammed into a wall on the on-ramp.
The driver called 911, and police and paramedics performed CPR on the passenger, who was shot multiple times. The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The driver was also taken to a hospital to be treated for unknown injuries. The driver has been released from the hospital.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said detectives confirmed the driver worked for the ride-sharing company but it was not known if the passenger was on an Uber ride at the time of the shooting.
The shooting is being treated as a homicide, police said.
“This is very preliminary, but it appears there was an Uber driver and his passenger got into a conflict inside his vehicle, shots were exchanged, shots were fired and the passenger it appears was shot,” Jackson said. “We’re going to need to talk with that driver.”
Police have been in contact with Uber, Jackson said.
The driver and the passenger have not been identified. No one has been taken into custody, Jackson said.
Uber has a policy that prohibits its drivers from carrying firearms while driving passengers.
“We are all deeply troubled by the events in Denver today,” Uber said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the families of those involved and we will continue working closely with police.”
Anyone who might have witnessed what happened or was on the interstate at the time of the shooting is asked to call police.
“Uber has a policy that prohibits its drivers from carrying firearms while driving passengers.”
So that they can robbed or killed more easily.
Great policy.