PITTSBURGH — A Z-Trip driver is facing several charges after police say he pulled a gun on a passenger and held him against his will.
The driver, Michael A. Brown, told police he thought the passenger was planning to rob him.
Z-Trip told Channel 11 Brown is suspended until the investigation is complete.
“Now you got people pulling guns on you in a car and you’re already paying to be in the car,” said Greg Howard, who uses public transportation. “I think that’s pretty low.”
Police say Brown saw the passenger text messaging and thought he was planning to rob him.
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Police say Brown not only held the passenger against his will, but pointed a gun at him, ordered him to get out and get on the ground.
“It’s pretty scary nowadays. Not a lot of places are safe,” Howard said.
Z-Trip sent Channel 11 a statement that reads, in part, “In the event that they believe themselves to be at risk, all Z-Trip lease drivers are advised to use the ‘panic button.’ At no time are lease drivers authorized to take the law into their own hands.”
“If I was in the situation, to be truthful, and I felt threatened, I wouldn’t have took the trip,” said Eric Thomas, a cab driver who does not work for Z-Trip. “We should have the right to bear arms because we go through a lot and there’s been a lot of violence against cab drivers.”
Channel 11 talked to Brown over the phone. He refused to tell us anything about what happened but told us to call him after he talks to his supervisors at Z-Trip on Thursday.