Carjacking Crisis Takes Horrific Turn As Rideshare Driver Is Shot Dead By His Own Passenger On West Side
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The city's carjacking crisis took a chilling turn this week, after a rideshare driver was murdered by his own passenger.
The murder left a little girl without a father, and left Chicago rideshare drivers living in fear.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar spoke with the victim's family on Wednesday.
"We are devastated and very much still processing this loss," said Hortencia Ramos.
Her cousin, Javier Ramos, was on the job earlier this week, behind the wheel for a rideshare app.
"And he didn't come home," Hortencia Ramos said. "You took the life of a very loving person."
Ramos was carjacked by his passenger and shot in the head during the struggle. He was 46.
He leaves behind a 9-year-old daughter.
"We believe that he fought," Hortencia Ramos said. "He fought back."
Javier Ramos was found in the Lawndale neighborhood on the 3700 block of West Douglas Boulevard. Police initially thought Ramos was the victim of a hit-and-run. The gunshot was found once he was at the hospital.
"Somebody thought the value of a vehicle or a wallet was more valuable than someone's life," Hortencia Ramos said.
"This really, really, really struck a note with the driver community," said Lenny Sanchez, a rideshare driver and organizer for the Independent Drivers Guild.
Sanchez and the guild advocate for drivers' safety.
"Javier is going to go down as a martyr in this fight, and he's probably not going to be the only one, because the situation doesn't look like it's getting any better," Sanchez said.
"I hope that whoever you are you come forward; that do the right thing," Hortencia Ramos said.
Police did not have any surveillance video as of Wednesday night, and no arrests have been made. Sanchez said this horrific shooting has convinced him to stop driving until it is safer for drivers.
