July 4, 2025
A North Carolina woman is speaking out after capturing her Uber driver waving a knife in front of her on video, prompting the rideshare company to permanently ban the driver.
A disturbing rideshare incident caught on camera has led to the banning of an Uber driver who was filmed casually showing off a knife while transporting a Black woman passenger in Charleston, North Carolina. The video, originally posted on June 27 by the rider—known on social media as @Xkhatukhu—went viral, sparking widespread concern for her safety and questions surrounding the relationship between Uber drivers and passengers.
“Today I was blessed to make it out alive,” Xkhatukhu wrote in the caption of the original post. The clip began by showing the driver, identified only as “Ethan,” holding a folding knife in his lap. At one point in the nerve-wracking video, the Uber driver flipped it open and began handling the blade with both hands, momentarily letting go of the steering wheel.
The rider, a behavioral health professional, chose not to confront the driver and instead discreetly recorded the ride from the back seat.
“I am here to help, but the help he needs, I don’t have that power,” Xkhatukhu later explained in the TikTok comments.
“I choose me every time… I would not have done anything differently, nor would I risk my life.”
Atlanta Black Star later reposted the video, and its popularity caught the attention of Uber.
The company responded directly in the post’s comment section, writing: “Rider safety is important to us, and we take situations like this very seriously. We have investigated this incident and have banned the driver from the Uber platform.”
Uber’s safety policy strictly prohibits drivers working for the app from possessing weapons, in accordance with applicable laws.
While North Carolina permits the open carry of knives, the law restricts concealed carry and only exempts small pocket knives that are four inches or less in length.
Over 800 people commented on the viral post, with one writing, “That’s inappropriate on his part… I don’t care if he’s innocently fidgeting. NO ONE should take this lightly under any circumstances.”
Although Xkhatukhu has not indicated whether she plans to pursue legal action against the driver, she stated her goal with posting is to raise awareness.
“This is my story, and the point of my sharing is to tell everyone to be cautious and use their instincts,” Xkhatukhu wrote. “I did report him to officials… he has my address. I’m not playing around with this man.”
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