Lyft driver shot twice in a carjacking in North Philly, police say

A Lyft driver was shot twice during a carjacking in North Philadelphia early Thursday morning, police said, and the alleged carjacker is in custody after being tracked down to North Jersey.

Around 2:42 a.m., police said, two people approached a 2025 Chevy Malibu as the driver arrived at the 900 block of Fairmount Avenue to pick up a customer. One of them, dressed in black, got into the rear passenger seat, demanded that the driver hand over his wallet, and threatened to shoot him, police said.

The driver started to pull away, and the carjacker, still in the back seat, fired a gun multiple times, striking the driver in the arm and chest, police said. The driver then got out of the car and ran, while the carjacker took the wheel and drove off southbound on 10th Street, according to police.

The Lyft driver, 58, was able to get to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where police said he was listed in stable condition.

In a statement, Lyft said it had removed the alleged shooter as a rider from their platform and were working with police.

“The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or our society. Our thoughts are with the driver, and we have reached out to offer our support. We have permanently removed the rider from the Lyft platform, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.”

Police used location tracking technology installed in the car to track the car to North Jersey, said Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore. The stolen car was later spotted on a New Providence Police Department camera just after 4 a.m., and police were able to track the car and carjacker to Jersey City, N.J.

The suspected carjacker — a 17-year-old whom police did not identify — was arrested and is in custody, police said. A gun was also recovered, they said.

Police said they are still searching for the man who was with the carjacker when he approached the car.