Disturbing security footage shows the moment a Uber driver was murdered as the gunmen appeared to have been targeting his passenger outside a Philadelphia hookah lounge.
Olatunji W. Bolaji, 77, was seen picking up a 22-year-old passenger in his black Chevy Suburban in downtown Philadelphia outside the Byblos Hookah Bar on Wednesday at around 2 a.m. — moments before the deadly shooting, according to video obtained by NBC10.
The unidentified fare hugged a woman outside Bolaji’s car as two men jumped out of a Jeep Grand Cherokee with Massachusetts plates, police said.
The woman is seen fleeing for safety when she notices the suspects rushing towards them with their guns pointed at the passenger.
The rider then jumps into the SUV as the men surround him from the front and the back of the vehicle.
One of the suspects is then seen pointing his gun into the vehicle and firing, hitting Bolaji in the head and the passenger in the arm, leg and abdomen, police told the outlet.
Despite being shot in the head, Bolaji managed to drive away but ended up crashing into a light pole a block away.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police took the passenger to Jefferson University Hospital in critical condition.
Chief Inspector Scott Small told CBS News that there was “definitely a physical altercation” between the suspects and the passenger before Bolaji came to pick up the rider.
The suspects have yet to be identified and remain at large.
Police said detectives are investigating the shooting and are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the shooters.
A neighbor who lived next to Bolaji for seven years described him as a hard-working, friendly man from a quiet, respectful family. He leaves behind a son and a partner.
He said the driver loved working for Uber, and his family is distraught over his murder.
“Our hearts break for the driver’s family and loved ones in the wake of this devastating loss,” Uber said in a statement to NBC10.
“We’ve reached out to police to offer our support as they work to bring those responsible for this heinous act of violence to justice.”
There have been 58 homicides across the city since the start of 2025, according to statistics provided by the Philadelphia Police Department. There were 81 total homicides in Philly in 2024.
The city has also had 446 shooting incidents this year, resulting in 239 victims as of April 17.
In 2024, the city had a total of 635 shootings resulting in 296 victims.
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