'Tapped on my window': Uber driver waiting for passenger approached by gunman and shot when she steps on the gas, cops say

An Uber driver was waiting for her next passenger when a tap on her window turned out to be a man holding a gun — and she was shot as she tried to flee, Pennsylvania authorities say.

The woman identified in a GoFundMe as Danielle A. was the victim of a violent attempted robbery, the Philadelphia Police Department told Law&Crime. Authorities continue searching for “two males in their late teens to early 20s with slim builds” who were “wearing all-black clothing and masks.”

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On June 20, Danielle was driving for Uber when “my life changed forever,” the fundraiser states. She was in the area of the 2800 block of Poplar Street in Philadelphia waiting for a passenger to come outside for their scheduled ride.

“Someone tapped on my window, my driver-side window, and I looked over, and they were already pointing a gun at my face,” she told local ABC affiliate WPVI.

The 38-year-old woman threw her vehicle into drive “to escape,” and, without a word, one of the suspects fired the gun, “striking her shoulder,” police said.

“Everything was slowing down, and I was getting weaker, I couldn’t breathe,” she added of the ensuing moments. “I was spitting up blood, and I just thought to just ask for help.”

Danielle reached another intersection, where she stopped outside a bar. A trauma nurse and an EMT apparently happened to be there, and they cared for her until authorities arrived. “It’s because of them that I’m still alive,” she said.

The Philadelphia Police Department said it received a “priority radio call” stating someone was shot on Poplar Street. Authorities arrived and rushed her to a local hospital, where she was later listed in stable condition.

Still, her recovery process has been arduous.

“The gunshot left me with multiple fractured ribs, a fractured shoulder blade, and a collapsed lung that required emergency chest tubes,” according to the GoFundMe. “During my hospitalization, I also developed pneumonia, making an already painful recovery even more difficult. Although the bullet remains in my body, my doctors determined it is safer to leave it in place.”

“Recovery has been far more challenging than I ever imagined,” she added. “Even taking a deep breath has been painful at times, and simple daily tasks like walking, getting dressed, showering, reaching for something, or getting in and out of bed have required far more effort than I ever expected. I am continuing to work through physical therapy to regain my strength and independence while also healing from the emotional and psychological trauma of surviving such a violent attack.”

After the shooting, police said, the suspects fled west toward 29th Street. Investigators believe they were trying to rob Danielle before she took off.

Danielle said that she “depended on” being an Uber driver as a single mother to her 7-year-old daughter. “More than anything, I want to get back to being the active, present mom my daughter deserves,” her fundraiser states, adding: “My goal is to heal, regain my independence, return to work, and provide the stable life she deserves.”

The post ‘Tapped on my window’: Uber driver waiting for passenger approached by gunman and shot when she steps on the gas, cops say first appeared on Law & Crime.