Would-be Robber Chooses the Wrong Uber Driver to Mess With

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

A robber chose the wrong person to mess with in Florida on Sunday morning.

Kevin Johnson, 24, attempted to rob 29-year old Namique Anderson, an Uber driver, and ended up dead, CBS Miami reports:

Police say the Aventura incident began around 5 a.m. Sunday shortly after Anderson picked up a passenger. They were headed to a Fort Lauderdale airport when Anderson was cut off by what police believed to be a dark-colored either silver or gray Dodge Caravan near the 3500 block of NE 192nd Street.

“He [Johnson] exited the vehicle with two fire arms and pointed them at the driver of the Uber and made some demands,” explained Sgt. Chris Goranitis. “At that point, the Uber driver [Anderson] basically had his own firearms that he was licensed to carry and he shot him four times.”

Police believe Johnson and an unidentified man committed another armed robbery about an hour before they attempted to rob Anderson.

Anderson is a licensed gun owner and has a permit to carry. No charges are expected to be filed against him, since police say he was the victim in this incident.

But he may lose his gig with Uber. The company’s firearm policy says, “Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a safe and reliable ride. That’s why Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms of any kind in a vehicle while using our app. Anyone who violates this policy may lose access to Uber.”

This is not the first time a legally armed Uber driver stopped a crime.

On April 17, 2015, an Uber driver in Chicago stopped what likely would have been a mass shooting:

Everardo Custodio opened fire into a crowd of people on a busy Friday night in Logan Square.

The Uber driver, a 47-year-old resident of Little Italy, has a concealed carry permit. He pulled out a handgun and fired six shots at Everardo Custodio, hitting him several times, according to court records.

Custodio was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon. The Uber driver provided police with a valid concealed-carry permit and a firearm owner’s identification card. Assistant State’s Attorney Barry Quinn said the driver “was acting in self-defense and in the defense of others.” He was not charged in the incident.

Uber responded to that heroic act by changing their gun policy two months later. The company used to defer to local firearms laws, but now drivers AND passengers are barred from carrying guns in all Uber vehicles – even if the gun is legally owned, and local laws permit open or concealed carry.

Uber has not commented on the incident in Florida yet.