An Uber driver has been arrested after allegedly shooting a teenage girl outside a Waffle House in Dunwoody early Sunday morning, according to police. Officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to reports of a shooting at the restaurant located at 4532 Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
According to investigators, five teenage girls had ordered an Uber to take them home from the restaurant. When the driver arrived, he told the group he could only take four passengers because there wasn’t enough room for everyone in the vehicle.
Police said an argument broke out between the driver and the teens, escalating to one of the girls allegedly slapping the driver in the face and threatening to kill him. Officers said the driver then pulled out a gun and fired, hitting the girl who had struck him. She was shot in the back and both legs.
However, the other four girls gave police a different account, saying that no physical assault or threats took place before the driver opened fire. The 16-year-old victim was “transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and received treatment for her injuries,” police said. She remains in critical but stable condition, as per WWNY.
Her family declined to speak with Atlanta News First about the incident. The driver, identified as 38-year-old Meredith Grundy, was arrested and taken to the DeKalb County Jail. Grundy is facing charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to Sgt. Michael Cheek with the Dunwoody Police Department.
Cheek said it remains unclear whether the teenage girl who allegedly assaulted the driver will face charges. “We’re going to let her medical care get taken care of. That’s priority for now,” Cheek said. Court records show that Grundy has not yet retained an attorney.
When asked for comment, the manager of the Waffle House referred Atlanta News First to the company’s corporate office. An Uber spokesperson called the incident “horrifying” in a statement released Tuesday. “We removed the driver’s access to the platform and stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation,” the company said.
Police continue to investigate the events leading up to the shooting. Authorities have not confirmed whether the weapon used in the incident was legally owned or if additional charges may follow. The investigation remains active as officials work to determine exactly what happened in the moments before the gunfire erupted.