The recent killings of two Lyft drivers in Cleveland have the public wondering whether just how safe it is to be a cabbie in the city.
Antoine Latham and Vasyl Shvets were shot and killed within two days of each other in Cleveland, prompting arrests and a broader look at violence against rideshare drivers nationwide. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rideshare drivers are all too familiar with the anxieties of the job: picking up strangers, working late hours and roving through sometimes unfamiliar neighborhoods.
When cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer asked readers to share their thoughts on whether ridesharing was safe, most, predictably, said no. Among the responses: A Cleveland-area woman who said a teenager pulled a gun on her husband in an apparent robbery while he was out driving for Uber to make extra cash. Police, she said, suspected the 2021 incident was connected to gang activity.The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said her husband began driving part-time during the COVID-19 pandemic. What started as a temporary source of income for the retired couple eventually became occasional money to help pay for vacations and family expenses.in Cleveland — one case involving a teenage assailant and another involving a robbery — her husband decided to step away from rideshare driving altogether. The fatal shootings, just days apart, have reignited concerns about rideshare safety in Cleveland and beyond, underscoring the risks drivers face on the job. “The morning of the news, he said, ‘I’m not driving anymore,’” the woman said of her husband. “And I told him, we don’t need the money that badly.” Violent incidents may involve targeted attacks in which criminals prey on unsuspecting rideshare drivers, or they may stem from passenger confrontations that escalate to violence. The most severe cases have resulted in driver fatalities, with at least 28 documented deaths from carjackings alone between 2017 to 2022 in the U.S.,Antoine Latham, 56, of Cleveland, was shot on Feb. 8 before his vehicle crashed into a guardrail in the 10200 block of Rosehill Avenue. Two days later,, 20, of Warrensville Heights with shooting Latham while robbing him of his cellphone, according to court records. On Monday, Cleveland policeViolence against Uber and Lyft drivers has broken out across the country. Justin Philpotts, a graduate from Illinois State University in Urbana, was shot in the back of the head, and crashed his vehicle in January 2022 when teenage passengers robbed him. Tyjohn Williams, who was 17 years old at the time of the shooting, was sentenced in March 2025 to 55 years in prison for his involvement. Two other teens were charged in the incident as well. In June 2023, Phoebe Copas was visiting El Paso, Texas when she was picked up by Uber driver Daniel Piedra Garcia. Copas shot and killed Garcia, claiming she thought he was attempting to kidnap her and drive her into Mexico. Garcia’s family said he was killed while simply trying to provide for his family.In a statement, a Lyft spokesperson said violent incidents are rare, noting that over 99.9% of rides were completed without issue from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2022. “We recognize that even one incident is one too many,” Lyft stated. “We owe it to every rider and driver to continuously ensure our platform has appropriate safety measures, and are continually investing in tools and policies to help prevent and detect potential unsafe situations.”the killings are part of a broader pattern of violence and abuse of rideshare drivers from physical assaults to robberies, carjackings and sexual harassment. From 2017 to 2020, Uber documented 24,000 physical assaults and threatened attacks against drivers, according to a May 2025cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer readers suggested that arming drivers wouldn’t matter. “There should be a bulletproof glass between the driver & back seats in all vehicles and doors that open only with the key fob or the driver for best safety practice for all involved...sad world we are living in and hopefully it gets much better soon,” one reader wrote. “It seems some people who own guns must get trigger happy,” another wrote. “If drivers are shot indiscriminately being armed won’t help.”many drivers carry weapons -- despite company prohibitions -- also using dashcams for protection.“Safety isn’t just part of the Uber experience, it’s built into every trip,” the spokesperson said. “From GPS tracking and rider verification badges to in-app recording and emergency assistance at the tap of a button, we’ve invested in technology designed to help give drivers greater peace of mind on the road. Our focus is clear: raising the standard for safety, every day.” Company safety measures include rider verification badges, emergency buttons that connect to 911, in-app recording capabilities, and features allowing female drivers to only accept female passengers. Uber has integrated its emergency services with 911 dispatchers in more than 1,800 jurisdictions, automatically sharing trip details including location, vehicle information and license plate numbers, the company said. Both Uber and Lyft said they maintain teams of former law enforcement professionals available 24/7 to assist police investigations.The Cleveland-area reader whose husband quit rideshare driving said she worries about those who rely on that gig work as their primary income.She also criticized what she sees as limited protections for gig workers as they absorb the cost of gas, insurance and car maintenance while picking up virtually unknown riders.
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