A 77-year-old Nigerian Uber driver, Olatunji W. Bolaji, was shot and killed early Wednesday morning, April 15, while picking up a passenger outside a hookah lounge in Philadelphia.
According to CBS News, Bolaji had arrived at Byblos Hookah Bar around 1:45 a.m. to pick up a rider. As the 22-year-old passenger entered his vehicle, two men emerged from a nearby parked car and opened fire, said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Bolaji was struck in the head, while the passenger was hit in the arm, leg, and stomach. Despite his injuries, Bolaji attempted to flee but crashed shortly after. Emergency crews tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger remains in critical condition at a local hospital.
Investigators believe the incident followed a physical altercation involving the suspects and the passenger, and that someone in the car was specifically targeted.
The suspects fled in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with Massachusetts license plates. The Philadelphia Police Department is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to their arrest.
Friends and family described Bolaji as a devoted father and partner. “We’re heartbroken and want justice for a man who didn’t deserve this,” a family friend told NBC10 Philadelphia.
Uber expressed condolences in a statement: “Our hearts break for the driver’s family and loved ones. We’re working with police and hope those responsible are swiftly brought to justice.”
