Tennessee Uber driver shot back at teen who fired at him and passenger for 'disrespecting' him
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: A teenager has been arrested after he followed and shot at an Uber driver and a passenger after he felt the latter had "disrespected" him at liquor shop earlier. The teen, identified as 18-year-old Jason Johns Jr, was injured when the Uber driver returned fire.
Johns Jr.has been charged with aggravated assault and theft in connection to the incident, according to an affidavit filed by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department that was obtained by WKRN.
The affidavit states that the exchange of fire took place at around 11 pm on Wednesday, July 31, after the Uber driver had taken the unidentified passenger to Weiss Liquor Store on 824 Main Street.
The passenger told police that, at the liquor store, he opened the door for a man later identified as Johns Jr., and that he made a cigar purchase for the teen after noticing that he didn't have any ID on him.
The Uber driver said he saw Johns Jr. give his passenger an "odd" look when the door was held open for him but that he made nothing of it.
However, when the passenger got back into the Uber to make his way back home to his AirBnB on Fatherland Street, Johns Jr. reportedly got into a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder, that was later revealed to have been reported stolen, and followed them.
According to the affidavit, when the Uber stopped to let out the passenger, Johns Jr. got out and opened fire on them from around 10 feet away.
But the driver had a gun of his own and he quickly fired back. In the ensuing exchange, neither he nor his passenger was hurt, but Johns Jr. was not so lucky.
The 18-year-old was struck and hastily made his escape from the scene on foot, making his way to a local hospital, where he was treated for wounds to his upper chest and right arm.
When questioned about the incident by the police, the affidavit states Johns Jr. first lied about the incident before admitting to the offense, and claiming he followed the Uber and the passenger and fired at them because he felt "disrespected" at the liquor store.
He is currently being held in jail on a $225,000 bond, but it's not the first time that the teen has found himself in trouble with the law.
Court records indicate he was convicted of aggravated robbery when he was 15 years old after he admitted to taking a woman’s car at gunpoint outside an apartment complex on 3417 Lebanon Pike.
Despite his heroic actions, the Uber driver may find himself in trouble as well.
According to the rideshare service's firearms policy, the company "prohibits riders and their guests, as well as driver and delivery partners, from carrying firearms of any kind while using [their] app" and warns that "anyone who violates this policy may lose access to Uber."