Current:Home > MarketsEx-Atlanta officer accused of shooting, killing Lyft driver over kidnapping claim: Reports -ProfitQuest Academy
Ex-Atlanta officer accused of shooting, killing Lyft driver over kidnapping claim: Reports
View
Date:2025-04-17 06:01:19
An ex-Atlanta police officer was recently arrested in connection to the shooting death of his Lyft driver whom he thought was trying to kidnap him, according to multiple reports.
Koby Minor was taken into custody last Wednesday, May 15, by officers with the Union City Police Department over the killing of Lyft driver Reginald Folks. Minor is charged with aggravated assault and murder, according to local outlet WSB-TV.
Union City police officers responded to a report of a shooting on Stonewall Tell Road after midnight. They found a man who succumbed to his injuries, according to 11 Alive, and learned that the victim was a Lyft driver who was taking Minor to his home. The driver was later identified as Folks.
Minor had worked for the Atlanta Police Department since 2018 and resigned immediately after his recent arrest.
Officer was on leave for separate arrest when deadly shooting occurred
Minor was already on leave for a prior incident when the shooting happened.
"At the time of his arrest in Union City, Minor was on unpaid administrative leave after being arrested in Milton, GA in December 2023," Atlanta Police said. "Minor was relieved of his department issued firearm upon being placed on unpaid administrative leave. Since that time, the firearm has remained in the custody of the APD."
He was disciplined because officers found Xanax in his possession after he crashed his vehicle last year, WSB-TV reported.
Airman killed:US airman Roger Fortson killed by deputies who may have hit wrong home, Ben Crump says
Officer told a witness the Lyft driver was in a 'gay fraternity', tried to kidnap him: Reports
During the ride, Folks started to talk to someone on the phone in a different language, per an arrest affidavit viewed by WSB-TV. During that time, Minor told investigators that he heard a voice. He did not reveal what the voice said to him.
The report said Minor then asked the rideshare driver to stop so he could exit the vehicle, but Folks didn't. When they reached a red light, Minor attempted to open the door but couldn't because it was locked.
Minor alleged that when Folks tried to reach in the back seat, he opened fire and struck him multiple times, including in the head, according to the report. Moments later, he broke the window and left the vehicle.
Minor told authorities that he did not have confirmation if the driver was gay, but a witness said the former officer believed the driver was "in a gay fraternity" who tried to recruit and kidnap him.
USA TODAY has reached out to obtain the arrest affidavit but have not yet heard back.
Victim's mother mourns his death, reports say
Folks' family said he moved to the city to pursue his collegiate education at Clark Atlanta University, an HBCU, 11 Alive reported. He was driving Lyft for extra money but recently started a career as a competitive professional wrestler.
[I'm] very proud of the man he became. Everywhere I went, people met him and enjoyed him. He always ran into people that he knew," Marchelle Folks told the outlet. "He was a friendly guy, very social. Reggie was pretty much the life of the party."
"He was my oldest, 35," she added. "I just talked to him on Mother's Day, and he had just talked to his brother for three hours... We are heartbroken about the entire thing."
Lyft responds to deadly shooting of driver, according to reports
Lyft did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment but told CNN that it is working with authorities on the ongoing probe.
"Our hearts are with Mr. Folks' loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy, and we have reached out to offer our support during this difficult time," the statement said. "We stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation and have permanently banned the rider's account from the Lyft community."
veryGood! (64744)
Related
- Trump's 'stop
- Go Under the Sea With These Secrets About the Original The Little Mermaid
- With Tactics Honed on Climate Change, Ken Cuccinelli Attracts New Controversy at Homeland Security
- Scientists may be able to help Alzheimer's patients by boosting memory consolidation
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Kangaroo care gets a major endorsement. Here's what it looks like in Ivory Coast
- The 25 Best Amazon Deals to Shop Memorial Day Weekend 2023: Smart TVs, Clothes, Headphones, and More
- As ‘Tipping Point’ Nears for Cheap Solar, Doors Open to Low-Income Families
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Malpractice lawsuits over denied abortion care may be on the horizon
Ranking
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Emma Stone’s New Curtain Bangs Have Earned Her an Easy A
- Senate 2020: In Storm-Torn North Carolina, an Embattled Republican Tries a Climate-Friendly Image
- Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in legal fight over water rights
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Facing Grid Constraints, China Puts a Chill on New Wind Energy Projects
- Roll Call: Here's What Bama Rush's Sorority Pledges Are Up to Now
- Connecticut Program Makes Solar Affordable for Low-Income Families
Recommendation
'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
With Wild and Dangerous Weather All Around, Republicans Stay Silent on Climate Change
A Climate Change Skeptic, Mike Pence Brought to the Vice Presidency Deep Ties to the Koch Brothers
Picking the 'right' sunscreen isn't as important as avoiding these 6 mistakes
House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
South Carolina Has No Overall Plan to Fight Climate Change
Get 2 Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gels for Less Than the Price of 1
Lily-Rose Depp and 070 Shake's Romance Reaches New Heights During Airport PDA Session