Man allegedly points gun at rideshare driver's head in carjacking attempt. But victim is a concealed carrier who ends up outsmarting and outgunning suspect.

A man allegedly pointed a gun at a rideshare driver's head in a carjacking attempt earlier this month in Chicago — but it turns out the victim is a concealed carrier who ended up turning the tables on his assailant, completely outsmarting and outgunning him.

What are the details?

The 26-year-old rideshare driver picked up 20-year-old Darick Benson and a juvenile female in the 1500 block of South Millard shortly after midnight Aug. 12, Assistant State’s Attorney John Kyle said during Benson’s bail hearing, CWB Chicago reported.

Benson allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at the driver’s head from the back seat as the girl, who also was in the back seat, patted down the driver's right pants pocket, the outlet said.

Kyle said the driver — a concealed-carry license holder — slowed down his SUV and jumped out while the vehicle was still in motion, the outlet reported, adding that he pulled a gun from his left pants pocket and fired three shots at his attackers after running a short distance.

Benson returned fire and tried to drive the SUV, but it failed to operate because the key fob — snug in the driver's pocket — was out of range, Kyle said, according CWB Chicago.

He added that Benson and the girl ran from the SUV as a passing motorist called 911, the outlet reported.

Kyle said Chicago police were already on their way since the gunshots triggered a nearby ShotSpotter, CWB Chicago noted. ShotSpotter technology uses "sophisticated acoustic sensors to detect, locate and alert law enforcement agencies and security personnel about illegal gunfire incidents in real-time."

Police found the girl about a block away with a graze wound on her right arm, the outlet said, and Kyle said Benson was found near an apartment entrance with a gun about three feet away from him — and with a gunshot wound in his leg.

What happened next?

Judge Charles Beach ordered Benson held without bail on charges of discharging a firearm during an aggravated vehicular hijacking and discharging a firearm during an armed robbery, CWB Chicago reported, citing court records.

Fox News Digital said it confirmed the charges with Chicago police and noted that both charges are felonies.

Darick BensonImage source: Cook County Sheriff's Office

The outlet added that Emily Motin — the assistant public defender who represented Benson at the hearing — said, "We have nothing but a complaining witness’ statement here. While I acknowledge that this is a serious allegation, and these are serious charges, we simply don’t know. We can’t rely on the complaining witness alone to hold Mr. Benson [without bail] here.”

Motin added that Benson is attending high school while working at KFC and that his girlfriend is expecting their child in two months, CWB Chicago noted.

But Kyle also told the judge that Benson is on probation for possessing a stolen motor vehicle, the outlet said, adding that he was found driving a woman’s Jeep after it was carjacked in August 2021. CWB Chicago said prosecutors initially charged Benson with vehicular hijacking but agreed to let him plead guilty to a lesser charge of possessing a stolen motor vehicle in exchange for probation.

The outlet noted that Judge Beach told Benson the fact that he was shot is “tangential evidence of your proximity in time to that offense" and "the fact that you could not comply with the terms of your probation tells me that you probably cannot comply with the terms of bail. Accordingly, you will be held without bail."

Jail records indicate Benson's next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31.

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