Lyft driver accused of raping USC student banned from platform, company says
In a statement, Lyft has acknowledged the suspect was driving for the rideshare app.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Lyft driver accused of raping a USC student on her way back to her apartment has been banned from the platform, the rideshare company said.
The university says the attack took place around 3 a.m. the day after Halloween in the 3600 block of South Grand Avenue. The female student took a Lyft ride home from a club in West Hollywood to her home near the University Park Campus, officials said.
"When they arrived at her apartment, the Lyft driver raped the student in his car," the university reported in a crime alert notice.
In a statement sent to Eyewitness News Thursday, Lyft acknowledged the suspect was driving for the rideshare app.
"Safety is fundamental to Lyft. The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or anywhere in society. We have permanently banned a suspected driver's account from the Lyft platform and are actively assisting law enforcement with their investigation," said a Lyft spokesperson.
Last week, the company said it could not confirm the identity of the driver or that the ride happened on its platform.
The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately have additional details when reached for comment Thursday.
Last week, the university made sure students were aware of resources that are available to them for counseling, mental health and prevention of sexual violence.
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