Lyft driver repels teen carjacker with pepper spray, sparking Second Amendment debate
A Lyft driver in Washington, D.C., used pepper spray to fend off a teenage carjacker who threatened her with a knife, leading to his arrest.
On a Sunday in Washington, D.C., a teenage carjacker tried to force a Lyft driver to surrender her car using a knife. The driver, identified only as Angie, feigned cooperation but instead retrieved a can of pepper spray given to her by her father and sprayed the suspect in the face. A neighbor called 911, and the driver continued to resist, ultimately subduing the attacker before he escaped.
Police later arrested the teen, who remained under the influence of the spray. The episode prompted Second Amendment expert Stephen Halbrook to note Supreme Court rulings that extend the right to bear "arms" to items like stun guns and knives. The case highlights ongoing discussions about the scope of gun-control legislation and the definition of protected weapons.
Why it matters
The event illustrates how everyday self-defense tools intersect with constitutional debates over the definition of "arms."
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