Petersburg Uber driver rushes shooting victim to emergency room

PETERSBURG, Va. -- A person was rushed to the hospital by an Uber driver after they were shot twice Friday morning.

Five rapid shots were heard in the Walnut Hill neighborhood in Petersburg at about 9:30 a.m. on Friday. One car sped out of the neighborhood immediately, according to a witness. Police believe that the car belonged to an Uber driver who was picking up a passenger when the shots were fired.

"I think our Uber driver is a hero here," said Chief Travis Christian of the Petersburg Police. "He's taking someone that he doesn't even know, who's apparently been shot and he's taking them to the hospital. We're thankful for our Uber driver."

The driver took the victim to the Emergency Entrance of the Southside Medical Center, where a second crime scene was established.

"I applaud him, I applaud him," said a witness of the shooting. "Most people would have just left him and went on their business, but I applaud him. He may have saved a life."

Police say the Uber driver was also in harm's way, and that bullets flew near him as well.

Some witnesses said two people were seen running down Wilton Road after the shots were fired. One resident called the neighborhood "quiet" and was surprised the shooting took place.

"This is something that doesn’t happen in this neighborhood," said another resident.

Detectives say the victim's injuries are not life-threatening.

If you were near East Tuckahoe Street in Petersburg around the time of the shooting, or if you have any information about the shooting, call Crime Solvers at 861-1212.

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