Cleveland police investigate fatal shooting of Lyft driver after apparent drive-by attack on east side

What investigators say happened

Cleveland police are investigating the fatal shooting of a Lyft driver who was attacked while driving a customer on the city’s east side. The shooting occurred shortly after midnight on Aug. 28, 2017, near the intersection of Wayside Road and Olympia Road, an area where officers were dispatched on reports that two people had been shot.

At the scene, officers found a man inside a Chevrolet Impala with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead, and police later identified him as Mourice Foster, 32, of Cleveland. A woman who was riding in the back seat was also struck by gunfire and transported to a hospital for treatment. Police said she was alert when taken from the scene and her injuries were not described as life-threatening in initial reports.

Vehicle-to-vehicle gunfire reported

Investigators described the shooting as consistent with a drive-by attack. Police reported that another vehicle pulled alongside the Impala on Wayside Road and shots were fired into the Lyft vehicle. Early descriptions indicated the other vehicle may have been silver, though police did not release additional identifying information publicly at the time.

The case drew attention not only because it involved a rideshare driver on duty, but also because it unfolded rapidly in a moving vehicle, complicating witness identification and evidence collection. Police did not publicly state a motive in the immediate aftermath.

Arrest made, then charges dropped

Police initially arrested a 22-year-old man, Deonta Houston, in connection with the homicide. Within about a day, however, authorities dropped the charges and released him, underscoring that the investigation was still developing and that prosecutors did not proceed at that time.

Police have not publicly detailed the evidence that led to the arrest or the reasons the charges were withdrawn. The department continued to treat the case as an active homicide investigation.

Key confirmed facts in the case

• The shooting occurred just after midnight on Aug. 28, 2017, near Wayside Road and Olympia Road on Cleveland’s east side.
• Lyft driver Mourice Foster, 32, was fatally shot while driving a passenger.
• The passenger, a 31-year-old woman, was also shot and taken to a hospital for treatment.
• Police described the attack as shots fired into the vehicle from another car driving alongside it.
• An arrest was announced, but the suspect was later released after charges were dropped.

The investigation remained focused on identifying the shooter or shooters involved in the vehicle-to-vehicle attack and determining what led up to it.

Anyone with information about the shooting is generally encouraged to contact Cleveland police or submit tips through local crime-stopper channels, which can help detectives corroborate timelines, identify vehicles, and locate witnesses who may have been in the area at the time.