Lyft driver says she crawled out of woods after being shot by passenger in Mississippi
A Lyft driver remains hospitalized after she was carjacked, kidnapped and shot by a passenger she picked up in Mississippi’s capital city earlier this week.
Brandy Littrell, 36, said she survived “by the grace of God” after being forced into the woods and shot seven times, according to WAPT.
“He said, ‘Get on your knees,’ “ Littrell told the news station, recalling the Nov. 2 attack. “So, I got on my knees, and then I heard the first shot ... My whole body hit the ground.”
Police later arrested 17-year-old Dontarius McGee on charges of kidnapping, carjacking and aggravated assault, according to Jackson Police Deputy Chief Deric Hearn.
The teen is accused of calling for a ride to a nearby apartment complex, during which he threatened Littrell with a gun and ordered her into the backseat, WLBT reported, citing police.
“He did confess to the crime,” Hearn said at a news conference Wednesday. “He confessed to calling up ... the Lyft driver to give him a ride and ... through our interview with this individual, this is not the first time that this has occurred.”
During the ride, Littrell said McGee demanded her PIN number, debit cards and other personal banking information, according to WLBT. He then forced her into a wooded area where he shot her multiple times before speeding away in her car.
“I don’t want my family to not know what happened to me,” Littrell told the news station. “And so I’m like crawling out of the woods, and get enough strength to stand up.”
She ran to a nearby apartment complex for help and was taken to University of Mississippi medical center, WAPT reported, citing police.
McGee remains jailed without bond, police told the news station. Hearn said the teen will be charged as an adult and could face more serious charges.
Lyft released a statement about the incident and said it has been in contact with Littrell.
“The incident described is horrific and our hearts go out to Ms. Littrell and her loved ones,” a spokesperson for the ride share company told McClatchy News. “We’ve reached out to offer our support, have permanently removed the rider from the Lyft community, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation. We’re also exploring ways to expand the use of certain safety features and alerts to help prevent these kinds of incidents moving forward.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Lyft driver says she crawled out of woods after being shot by passenger in Mississippi."