PA Bill Number: HB1371
Title: Providing for duties of certifying officials and certifying agencies regarding the processing of certification form petitions.
Description: An Act providing for duties of certifying officials and certifying agencies regarding the processing of certification form petitions.
Last Action: Removed from table
Last Action Date: Jun 28, 2024
Ohio Self-Defense: Cleveland Lyft driver fired for admitting to firing legally-owned gun during attempted carjacking :: 01/13/2021
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - A Lyft driver has been fired by the ridesharing service after she admitted to firing her legally-owned and licensed gun during an attempted carjacking.
Cynthia Norman said she picked up a pair of young men — likely in their 20s — at an apartment complex in Cleveland’s Nottingham neighborhood around 1:00 a.m. Sunday.
As she arrived at the destination, the NEO Sports Plant, formerly known as the Euclid Sports Plant, she became concerned as it appeared the facility was closed.
That’s when the ride turned violent.
“I had to fight with these two men. I had one choking me from the back,” Norman told 19 News.
Norman said the other passenger, breaking Lyft’s COVID-19 protocol, insisted on sitting in the front seat.
She said he started punching her in the face as the man in the backseat choked her.
She was driving a rental car and refused to back down.
“They didn’t know I was going to fight back,” she said.
Norman told 19 News she then grabbed her gun from the center console and started shooting.
The two men fled on foot, leaving behind the cell phone they stole from her.
It’s unclear if they were wounded.
Norman drove to the 5th district police station and reported the incident.
According to a police report obtained by 19 News, the men are facing attempted kidnapping and attempted aggravated robbery charges.
No arrests have been made.
Their Lyft profile didn’t offer any clues as to their identity, as they used the name, “NBA” and did not provide a picture.
It’s unclear if any surveillance video was captured during the incident.
Thankful she’s okay, Norman is frustrated that her supplemental income has been taken away by Lyft, which has a zero-tolerance policy for drivers carrying weapons -- even if they’re legally carried.
Our “No Weapons” policy applies when you are doing business as a representative of Lyft, which includes times that you are driving for Lyft, as well as times that you are visiting a Lyft Hub.
This means that even in places where it is legal to carry a weapon, we ask that you do not carry a weapon on any Lyft property.
“What if you’re getting attacked? What are you supposed to do then?” she wondered.
A spokesperson for Lyft told 19 News the company stands by its decision.
