Ex-Atlanta Police Officer Accused Of Killing Lyft Driver, Claims Was Being Kidnapped

Koby Minor claimed the Lyft driver was trying to recruit him into a gay fraternity.

A former police officer in Atlanta has been arrested for allegedly killing his Lyft driver. Koby Minor claims the man was trying to kidnap him.

The Union City Police Department arrested Minor on May 15 for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Reginald Folks. Further investigation revealed that Minor was on paid administrative leave when police responded to the shooting. He had been with Atlanta Police since 2018, according to WSB-TV.

“At the time of his arrest in Union City, Minor was on unpaid administrative leave after being arrested in Milton, GA, in December 2023,” stated the Atlanta Police. “Minor was relieved of his department-issued firearm upon being placed on unpaid administrative leave. Since that time, the firearm has remained in the custody of the APD.”

Per the police report obtained by the news outlet, Minor became suspicious of the driver and asked to leave the vehicle after hearing him speak in a foreign language. After trying to exit the car, Minor shot at Folks as the driver reached into the back seat. He then broke the window to get out of the car after shooting multiple times. A witness shared that Minor believes Folks attempted to kidnap him for recruitment into a gay fraternity.

In light of the incident, Lyft released a statement to USA Today, effectively banning Minor’s account.

“Our hearts are with Mr. Folks’ loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy, and we have reached out to offer our support during this difficult time,” shared the company’s spokesperson. “We stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation and have permanently banned the rider’s account from the Lyft community.”

The 35-year-old and his family moved to the area where he was attending school at Clark Atlanta University. His mother remembers him as a “friendly guy” to those who knew him.

[I’m] very proud of the man he became. Everywhere I went, people met him and enjoyed him. He always ran into people that he knew,” Marchelle Folks expressed to 11Alive. “He was a friendly guy, very social. Reggie was pretty much the life of the party.”

As for Minor, his charges also include aggravated assault and murder. He resigned from the Atlanta police immediately following his arrest.