Uber and Lyft suspend surge pricing in area of Brooklyn subway shooting after catching heat on social media
28 people were injured during the shooting, including five in critical condition
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Uber and Lyft said they are suspending surge pricing near a Brooklyn neighborhood where a gunman opened fire on a subway Tuesday morning after New Yorkers voiced outrage about inflated fares on social media.
A suspect set off a smoke canister and opened fire as a Manhattan-bound N train approached the 36th St. station in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood at 8:24 a.m., leaving at least 28 people injured, including five who were in critical condition.
The attack led to delays in subway service in the surrounding area as emergency responders worked to treat the wounded and police searched for the suspect.
Smartphones displaying Uber car availability in New York. | AP Newsroom
One person posted a screenshot on Twitter of a $68.49 fare to go from Sunset Park to Queens with a warning from Uber that "fares are slightly higher due to increased demand."
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Another Brooklyn resident sarcastically tweeted that he didn't "see anything about ‘Shooting Surge Pricing’ in [Lyft] terms of use."
Lyft and Uber both said that they have now suspended surge pricing in the area.
"We are actively monitoring the situation in Sunset Park and have currently suspended Prime Time pricing for riders who are in the area. We are working to adjust fares for certain riders who paid Prime Time prices when the situation first unfolded," a Lyft spokesperson told FOX Business.
Emergency personnel gather at the entrance to a subway stop in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. | AP Newsroom
Freddi Goldstein, a spokeswoman for Uber, said that "our hearts go out to the victims of this morning’s terrible shooting in Sunset Park."
"Following the incident, Uber disabled surge pricing in the vicinity and capped pricing citywide," Goldstein told FOX Business. "As always, Uber strives to be a resource for New Yorkers aiming to get around New York City. If anyone on our platform experienced unintended charges during this emergency, we will work to get them refunded."
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As of 4:00 p.m., the NYPD was still searching for the suspect in the shooting, who is described as a 5-foot-5 Black male with a heavy build wearing a green construction vest and a hooded gray sweatshirt.