An Uber driver has been arrested after allegedly shooting a 16-year-old girl over a late-night pick-up from Waffle House.
Police reported that Meredith Grundy, 38, and five teenagers had a confrontation outside a Waffle House in Dunwoody, Georgia, at 2:30 am on Sunday. The disagreement arose after Grundy declined to pick them up.
Grundy informed the girls that his car couldn’t accommodate all of them and that there weren’t enough seatbelts for their safety, as stated by the Dunwoody Police Department.
Police said Grundy and the 16-year-old victim got into a heated argument over who should cancel the trip.
The teenager then ‘threatened to kill the driver’ and ‘struck him in the face’ while he was inside the car, DPD said.
That was when Grundy allegedly pulled a gun and shot the girl, who was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with wounds to her back and legs.
She was reported to be in critical but stable condition on Tuesday, police said.
However, the other teenagers who observed the dispute claimed that the alleged attack and threats towards Grundy did not occur prior to the shooting.
Meredith Grundy, 38, and a group of five girls became embroiled in a conflict outside a Waffle House in Dunwoody at 2:30 am on Sunday after he refused to give them a ride.
Grundy told the girls he didn’t have enough room in the car for all five, and said there weren’t enough seatbelts to take them all safely
Grundy asserted that a teenager threatened and hit him, after which he allegedly shot the teen, who was then taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with injuries to her back and legs.
Grundy was booked into Dekalb Jail for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony.
He has since posted bond after his arrest early on Sunday morning, Law & Crime reported.
Sergeant Michael Cheek of the DPD told Atlanta News First that the investigation is ongoing and it remains unclear if the girl assaulted the driver.
‘We’re going to let her medical care get taken care of,’ he said. ‘That’s priority for now.’
A spokesperson for Uber told the outlet that ‘the reported details of this incident are horrifying.’
‘We removed the driver’s access to the platform and stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation,’ the statement added.
Uber’s policies state that both riders and drivers are prohibited from bringing firearms while using the service, as permitted by applicable law.
‘We take your safety extremely seriously. Our firearms policy is intended to help ensure that our community, including both riders and drivers, feel safe and comfortable when using Uber and follows state law with respect to the possession of firearms,’ the company website stated.
According to Uber policies , riders and drivers are prohibited from carrying firearms while using the platform ‘to the extent permitted by applicable law’
The shooting comes months after a Lyft driver shot a passenger in April over a ride fare in Atlantic Station at around 2.30am
Users found violating the policy ‘may lose access to Uber.’
In Georgia, individuals legally eligible to possess a firearm are permitted to carry one in their vehicles without a permit under the Georgia Constitutional Act of 2022.
Firearms must be stored correctly and are not permitted in schools and courthouses.
According to the US Concealed Carry Association, Georgia is a Castle Doctrine state and has a ‘stand your ground’ statute.
‘There is no duty to retreat in defense of a forcible felony, such as rape, armed robbery or kidnapping,’ the website said.
The shooting comes months after a Lyft driver shot a passenger in April over a ride fare in Atlantic Station at around 2.30am.
A 26-year-old man was discovered with a gunshot would and rushed to hospital.
The driver, Robert Wallace, was arrested and taken into custody. Lyft said in a statement to Atlanta News First that Wallace was removed from the platform.
