PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An Uber driver who was shot while dropping off a passenger in north Portland on July 19, has been released from the hospital.
The driver, Josiah Kuehl, told KOIN 6 News he was shot 5 to 6 times and believes he was hit by stray bullets.
Kuehl said he was dropping off his passenger in Kenton. As the passenger stepped out, he paused. That’s when Kuehl noticed a car pull up next to them and heard bullets whizzing past his head — a sound he recognized from his service in the Marines.
“Once I heard that, I put my head down on my knees and the rest of the gunfire started … all over the place,” Kuehl said. “He hopped back in and told me to drive.”
Kuehl’s passenger, later identified by police as 25-year-old Zamere Bentley, did not survive.
Kuehl wants justice for Bentley’s family and is asking anyone with information to come forward. As far as his injuries go, Kuehl says he’s still working on managing the pain and is taking it day by day. After having surgery, he doesn’t know if he’ll regain full mobility of his hand or if he’ll need additional surgery.
“I’m so happy, he was sleeping last night I was crying … having him back because it’s been a struggle,” said Kuehl’s wife Ashley. “Having to see him suffer, it’s really hard to see.”
A GoFundMe page has been created to help cover Kuehl’s medical bills and to support his family.