Uber driver shot while driving passenger in Philadelphia

An Uber driver was shot in the head Wednesday night while transporting a passenger in Philadelphia, police said.

The 34-year-old driver, who remains unidentified, was driving an 18-year-old woman in North Philadelphia on Lehigh Avenue toward Broad Street in North Philadelphia when he was struck in the head by gunfire, Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters. The driver then careened across Broad Street and onto the curb, where his Honda CRV struck a utility pole, Small said.

Small said police found the driver unresponsive and rushed him to Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. The passenger was unharmed, and told police the shooting appeared to happen out of nowhere.

“That 18-year-old passenger who was in the backseat heard the gunshots, heard a bullet go through the back window, so she’s extremely lucky ‘cause she was missed by getting struck by gunfire by just a few inches,” Small said.

Police said they found six spent shell casings on the sidewalk of Lehigh Avenue, but don’t have much information beyond that. Small said he hoped surveillance cameras outsides nearby businesses could shed some light on the shooting.

“We don’t have a motive for the shooting,” Small said. “We don’t know if someone was intentionally firing at the Uber driver’s vehicle or if he was struck by stray gunfire.”

Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Police made no arrests, and no weapons were recovered at the scene.

Reporters shared photos of the scene on social media Thursday night:

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.