An 81-year-old Ohio man has been charged with murder after shooting and killing a 61-year-old female Uber driver who scammers had tricked into going to his home to collect a package.
Elderly Ohio Man Charged With Murder For Killing an Uber Driver
According to Fox28, William Brock received a scam call concerning a relative on the day of the shooting. The scammers eventually started to threaten him and demanded money from him.
Around the same time, Clark County police said Uber driver Lo-Letha Hall of Columbus also received an order to collect a package at Brock's home in the county's South Charleston village. When Hall showed up, Brock allegedly held her at gunpoint and demanded she identify who was calling him.
Police said Brock shot Hall when she attempted to escape. Hall was reportedly shot in the upper left side of her torso, in the center mass of her sternum, her left leg, and on her left knee.
Police noted that Brock never attempted to call authorities during a "scuffle" between the two. The Ohio man reportedly called 911 only after he had shot the female Uber driver.
Brock told police that he had been receiving fraudulent phone calls from scammers and had been threatened by them in the weeks before the altercation.
The shooting incident, captured on Hall's dashcam, took place on March 25 at around 11:25 a.m. Police said the Uber driver died in a local hospital while undergoing surgery.
Response of Uber to Murder Incident
In a statement to ABC 6, Uber expressed condolences on the death of Lo-Letha Hall and described the fatal incident as "a horrific tragedy."
"This is a horrific tragedy, and our hearts continue to be with Lo-Letha's loved ones as they grieve," the company noted. "We have been in contact with law enforcement and remain committed to supporting their investigation."
Uber also said the account of the individual who ordered a car to William Brock's residence has been banned. However, officials have not identified the person who requested the Uber.
The company told ABC 6 it has a team of ex-law enforcement professionals who are on call to work with police 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to urgent needs and walk them through an investigation. Police are now looking into the calls received by both.
After he was arraigned on the murder charge in the Municipal Court of Clark County on Wednesday, Brock posted a $200,000 bond. The Ohio man could be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison or a $15,000 fine if convicted of that charge.
Join the Conversation