I thought I would die

A Lyft Driver Kidnapped and shot 7 times

- christine pelisek

Rideshare driving—for Lyft and Uber—was an easy way for Brandy Littrell, 37, to earn extra cash. In five years she gave 5,000 rides in and around Jackson, Miss., and didn’t have cause for concern—until Nov. 2, 2021. What seemed like a routine pickup—a young man heading to work— turned into a waking nightmare, with Littrell fighting for her life. Now, a year later, she shares moment-by-moment details, in her own words. 

It was my third regular fare of the morning. I got

the request around 11:30 and drove to the location, sent the standard “I’m here” text message. A guy who went by the nickname “D-town” got in my car. He was like, “How you doing? I need to pickup my friend and then we’re going to work.” But after the first stop, he got back in the car alone. He said something I didn’t really catch, and when I turned to look at him, he pointed a gun to my face. It took me completely offguard. You see this stuff on TV, but it never happens to you.