Uber driver shoots naked man attacking woman, California cops say. ‘I just reacted’

A ride-hailing app driver dropping off a passenger shot a man attacking a woman, California sheriff’s deputies reported.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said the Uber driver spotted the naked 20-year-old man beating a 60-year-old woman nearby, KABC reported. The incident took place in Stanton.

He shot the man, who was hospitalized in critical but stable condition, and called 911 at 7:49 p.m. Sunday, June 2, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

“He began to, like, brutally beat her — he was kneeing her — slamming her head against the ground,” driver Turan Sanders told KNBC. He said the man then attacked his vehicle.

“I recognized he wasn’t going to stop,” Sanders told the station. “I took aim and I dropped him. I just reacted.”

The woman was treated for her injuries at the scene, deputies said. The 20-year-old man may face charges in connection with the attack.

“The reported details are frightening,” Uber said in a statement to McClatchy News. “We’re continuing to look into this and are standing ready to assist law enforcement on their investigation.”

Uber has removed Sanders as a driver while the investigation continues, the statement said.

Investigators ask anyone with information to call 714-647-7000.

Stanton is about a 25-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published June 4, 2024 at 10:30 AM with the headline "Uber driver shoots naked man attacking woman, California cops say. ‘I just reacted’."