Driver suspected of killing a 21-year-old flight attendant who hitchhiked in his car via Didi's car-hailing service was still at large, with surveillance video footage showing the man throwing himself into a nearby river after abandoning the car.
Li Mingzhu was killed in the early morning of May 6 after she had arranged a ride through Didi, China's Uber-like car-hailing app, while heading to the train station for home from the airport area in Henan's provincial capital of Zhengzhou, according to police.
▲ Li's Selfie
Li left her hotel at around 11:50 pm after she took a shower and changed her clothes. She was to take a train at 1 am on Sunday to go back to her home in Jinan, Shandong province, for a relative's wedding ceremony, according to the news website ThePaper.cn.
▲ The Victim's order on Didi Chuxing
WeChat record of the victim showed that the driver was misbehaving with her. Li texted her colleagues soon after she entered the car that the driver said she was beautiful and wanted to kiss her. Li, however, declined her colleagues' advice of getting off.
After Li's family failed to contact their daughter on Sunday, they reported her missing in the afternoon and contacted Didi. Her body was discovered by local police the following day.
In a Beijing News interview with the victim's father on May 10, it was disclosed that Li's body was found half naked, with over 20 stab wounds.
The tragedy triggered a widespread discussion on China's social media platforms, with many demanding safety for female customers.
'Didi really needs to step up internal supervision; who is going to ensure our safety?' one user wrote on Weibo.
Didi offers reward for information
Didi Chuxing apologized on Thursday and has offered a reward of up to 1 million yuan ($160,000) for information concerning the whereabouts of the driver.
'We feel deeply sad and guilty that passenger Miss Li has been murdered. Our sincere apology to Miss Li's family. As a ride-sharing platform, we betrayed the trust from our customers. We have an inescapable responsibility for the incident,' said Didi in an online statement.
The company also said it has established a special team to cooperate with police in searching for the suspect.
Didi has made public Liu's name, headshot, ID number and cell phone number, hoping the public will provide clues to the suspect's whereabouts.
Safety concerns for passengers
On Friday morning, the Ministry of Transport said in its WeChat account that ride-sharing network operators should ensure passengers' safety and put the interests of the people first.
'After the companies grew bigger, some ride-sharing networks started profiting at the expense of drivers and passengers, but failed to fulfill necessary social responsibilities,' said the ministry, though it did not name any specific company.
Rapes, thefts, and assaults are frequent news in the ride-sharing industry.
In the United States, Uber faced its biggest safety controversy in 2016 after a driver went on a serial killing rampage in-between passenger pickups.
Industry advocates have been calling for built-in tracking and accountability system. But that doesn't necessarily make customers safer.
1
Request your ride inside
Avoid spending unnecessary time outside alone with your phone in your hand. Instead, wait indoors until the app shows your driver has arrived.
2
Be sure to get in the correct car
It's easier than you think to get into the wrong car — or even into a car fraudulently posing as a ride-share vehicle — and not realizing your mistake until you're out in traffic. Be sure to confirm the car model, color, license plate number and driver's picture on your ride-sharing app before entering the vehicle.
3
Leave the ride early
If you feel uncomfortable about the driver or the ride, tell the driver to let you out early, before you reach your destination. Pick a safe spot, then call a friend, cab, or another ride-share driver. It may also a good idea to have a fully charged cell phone and a small amount of cash or your credit card with you during a ride.
4
Ride in the back
Always sit in the back of the car as a precaution — unless, of course, you have too many passengers to fit in the back. Another good practice: Exit on the curb side, not the traffic side, of the car.
5
Protect personal information
There's no need to share your contact information with your driver. The app is designed to make phone numbers of passengers and drivers anonymous.
6
Never sleep in car & be vigilant
It can be tempting to keep your eyes glued to your phone throughout your ride, but always be mindful of the road — and the driver, as well.
7
Update your whereabouts
Share route details with your loved ones. You can send a screenshot of your booking page with the driver, car, and route information to a friend or family member. You might even want to call and have a brief chat with them so your driver knows that someone is expecting you home.
Writers: Hou Liqiang, Qi Xin, Zhang Yi
Sources: What's on Weibo, Expat Go, Quartz
Editor: Jiao Jie
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