Atlanta

Police: Uber Eats delivery flees after customer shot, killed in Buckhead

ATLANTA — A 30-year-old man died of injuries after a shooting in Buckhead that police believe involved an Uber Eats driver.

Witnesses told Atlanta police the man ordered food via a smartphone app to be delivered to the 2800 block of Pharr Court South Saturday night.

One of the people Channel 2's Lauren Pozen spoke with lives close to where the incident happened. The person, who didn't want to be identified, said he heard five gunshots go off outside his apartment. He said by the time he was dressed, the victim was dead.

"Something needs to be done to further the safety of Uber Eats and make us feel safe,” he said.

If you’ve never heard of Uber Eats, it’s an app that many people use to order take out from your phone.

Saturday night, a late night order in Buckhead took a deadly turn.

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Police say Ryan Thornton, 30, ordered food from the app to be delivered to the Concorde condominium complex on Pharr Court South.

By 11:30 p.m., Thornton received his order and walked away from the delivery car, police said.

Police said words may have been exchanged and that's when shots were fired from the delivery car. The driver took off in a white Volkswagen.

“I just don’t expect it. I really feel safe here on a normal basis and it really makes me feel unsafe," said Buckhead resident Julia Bird.

Thornton died at Grady Memorial Hospital.

We checked and Uber has a "no weapons" policy for its drivers.

“They are not supposed to have weapons in the car company policy. The fact that he did probably breaking company policy,” said resident Whitney Searles.

As the search for the driver continues, this shooting has those who use the app a little hesitant to continue to do so.

Uber said in a statement they are shocked and saddened by the news and they are working with the Atlanta Police Department.