An Uber driver in Chicago who was assaulted by a passenger says he begged Chicago police to help remove the suspect from his vehicle, but was told by an officer that he "didn't have time for this."
Uber's company policy barring both drivers and passengers from having guns didn't help the driver either. In fact, it just left him defenseless and gave his assailant the upper hand.
From CBS Chicago:
Ty Thomas said he was looking for police early on the morning of Dec. 14, 2025, because the passenger he picked up in Englewood was angry the wait time was longer than expected, and began threatening him as soon as he got into the car.
"He refused to get out of the car, said he wasn't gonna get out, and made all kinds of threats, insinuating he had a gun," Thomas said.
Thomas' silent dashcam was rolling when he posted a CPD squad car within seconds. He noted the car's lights and sirens were not activated.
"I spot the police and I make a U-turn, and I tell him 'He has a, he has a gun,'" Thomas recounted as he walked CBS News Chicago Investigators through the footage. "And he's telling the officer, 'Come get me, come get me.' I said, 'He has a gun. He's refusing to get out of the car. I'm an Uber driver.' And then they drive away."
The passenger was still in the car.
On the video, you can see the squad car speed off without the officers getting out of the car. So Thomas followed them as, he said, the passenger became even more agitated. He waived them down again.
"I'm telling him he has a gun. He's refusing to get out of the car," Thomas said of the footage.
That's when the officer told Thomas that he didn't have time to deal with the situation and sped off once again. As Thomas tried to follow them, the passenger attacked him from the back seat.
Thomas drove to the nearest police substation, where his assailant finally hopped out of the car and ran off into the night. The Chicago PD has reportedly opened up an internal investigation into the officer's actions, but that's about the only thing that's happened with the case after Thomas filed a police report. No suspect has been arrested, even though Thomas gave police the full name of the passenger. And Uber, which told CBS Chicago it's ready to help the police in their investigation, still has a policy in place that prohibits Thomas and other drivers from legally arming themselves for self-defense when they're behind the wheel of their own car.
Thomas did everything the company suggested he do to keep himself safe. He had a dashcam that recorded the interior of the car as he was driving. When he felt like he was in danger, he went to the police. And what happened? He was ignored, assaulted, and left looking for justice ever since.
The guy who assaulted Thomas will most likely get away with his crime. Chicago police make arrests in less than 20% of aggravated assault cases, so Thomas is hardly the only victim who'll never get to face his attacker in court. When a suspect is arrested, they stand a good chance of being released until their trial takes place, which can be years after the crime occurred. Most likely, though, they'll be offered a plea deal before trial, and one that can quickly return them to freedom after a few months behind bars... if they're sentenced to any prison time at all.
That's the reality of the criminal justice system in Chicago. And the reality of Uber's policy of requiring both drivers and passengers to be disarmed is that violent offenders will ignore that prohibition without fear of consequences, just as they ignore the restrictive gun laws in Illinois and Cook County. In one case earlier this year, a pair of 14-year-olds allegedly carjacked a driver for Lyft (which also demands drivers be disarmed). Both of the teens had active warrants at the time, including one suspect who was wanted for armed robbery.
As gun owners, we know that we are responsible for our own safety. But what happens when you're not allowed to protect yourself and the police refuse to come to your defense? In Ty Thomas's case, you drive to the nearest police station while you're being pistol-whipped by your passenger and pray for the best.
That's not good enough. No matter what the internal investigation by the CPD concludes, rideshare drivers like Thomas deserve the ability to defend themselves on the job without worrying about being terminated for lawfully carrying a handgun. Uber and Lyft need to change their policies and allow for concealed carry in accordance with state and local law. And until they do, drivers need to ask themselves a simple question: Is it easier to find another gig if you're fired for protecting yourself with a gun, or another life if you're unable to defend yourself if necessary?
Editor’s Note: The radical Left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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