A Music City rideshare driver got more than his typical fare when a man wanting a ride to some nearby projects became agitated in his car and began making threats. As the rider’s anger grew for unknown reasons, he pulled a gun on the driver in an effort to kidnap him.
The 44-year-old driver, Dalvin Campbell, attempted a call to 911, telling the dispatcher he was being kidnapped at gunpoint.
“Campbell first called 911 around 10 p.m. Monday from the 1100 block of Broadway. The call disconnected before the dispatcher was able to obtain additional information,” according to WZTV Nashville reported.
Fourteen minutes later, Campbell dialed 911 again, this time telling the dispatcher “that he had shot a man who robbed and kidnapped him.” Campbell claimed self-defense to police who arrived at the scene.
Police found 23-year-old Kyrin Gardner lying unconscious on the ground on the sidewalk near the parked rideshare car. He had several extra holes in him that he didn’t start the ride out with and lying next to his body was a loaded pistol. Campbell’s handgun was lying in the driver’s seat of his vehicle.
Gardner died at the scene.
Police told WZTV that Campbell fully cooperated with homicide detectives and accompanied them to the station where he provided a full statement. Defense attorneys typically advise people involved in a shooting to withhold making any statements until they have an attorney present, but in this situation, it appears Campbell’s gamble worked. Police let him leave the station after taking his statement, although they say the investigation is still ongoing.
Perhaps the biggest lesson to take away from this if you’re a rideshare driver, regardless of if you drive for Uber or Lyft or both, while it may slightly ding your driver rating, maybe decline those rides that have you dropping people off in the projects. Delivery to such areas by pizza delivery drivers hasn’t historically worked out very well. So much so that most pizza chains such as Domino’s and Papa Johns, won’t deliver to high-crime neighborhoods.
And it’s a fact, while Campbell should rightfully avoid any further legal hassles after what police believe to be a clear-cut case of self-defense, he won’t be getting five stars on this ride from his passenger.