When a gunman started shooting a handgun at pedestrians in front of his cab, a 47-year-old Uber taxi service driver—and right-to-carry permit holder—likely saved lives Friday night when he pulled out a shotgun and fired six shots, CBS Chicago reported. The gunman, 22-year-old Everardo Custodio, was hit in the shin, knee and lower back. No one else was hurt. While authorities charged Custodio with aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon, and denied bail, Prosecutor Barry Quinn said that the cab driver acted “in self-defense and in the defense of others,” and faced no charges.
Two ironies: Two years ago, before Chicago issued concealed-carry permits, that heroic cab driver would have likely been either unarmed in accordance with the law, or facing firearm charges of his own for having a gun. Even today, the cab driver’s job could be in jeopardy, depending on Uber’s response to the incident. Contact Uber to voice your opinion at [email protected].
