In a chilling incident that underscores the dangers of scam calls, an 81-year-old Ohio man has been indicted on murder charges after fatally shooting an Uber driver he mistakenly believed was part of a scam operation. The victim, a 61-year-old woman, was unknowingly dispatched to the man's home by the same scammer who had targeted him.
William Brock, the accused, was charged with three counts of murder, one count of felonious assault, and one count of kidnapping, according to Lt. Kristopher Shultz of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The incident took place on March 25 outside Brock's South Charleston home.
Brock had received a scam call from an individual pretending to be a court officer, who informed him that a family member was incarcerated and required a significant amount of money for bail. The scam call escalated to a ransom demand, with the caller claiming to have a hostage. The scammer, or an accomplice, then requested an Uber ride to Brock's home to collect the money.
The Uber driver, Loletha Hall, was dispatched to Brock's home, oblivious to the scam call Brock had received. Upon her arrival, Brock confronted her with a gun, took her cellphone, and prevented her from leaving. "When she tried to get away, he shot her once, then there was more exchange between them," Shultz said. "Mr. Brock was at some point injured to his head, and he shot Ms. Hall a second time. There was more conversation, and then he shot her a third time. Only after he shot her a third time did he then make contact with authorities to report the incident."
Hall, who did not pose a threat to Brock, was taken to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Uber, in a statement, expressed its condolences to Hall's family and pledged its support to law enforcement in their investigation. The account of the person who ordered the Uber ride to Brock's house has since been banned.
The tragic incident has raised concerns about the safety of gig workers and the potential dangers they face in their line of work. It also highlights the growing menace of scam calls and the urgent need for more robust measures to combat them. The case remains under investigation, with officials yet to identify the scam caller or make any additional arrests.
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