Whether or not Hancock's claims are accurate, he was violating Uber's policies by carrying a gun in the first place. Uber forbids both drivers and passengers from carrying firearms in most states (with exceptions for states that bar these restrictions), and the company has confirmed that its no-gun stance applies in Colorado.

It's not certain that Hancock will face charges, and Uber's ability to prevent the incident is complicated. It couldn't have stopped Hancock from bringing a gun into the vehicle, but he did have multiple traffic convictions that might have run afoul of Uber background check rules that disqualify drivers with either major violations or a "recent history" of minor violations. We've asked Uber for clarification, but company's recently instituted annual criminal checks could be vital for removing drivers whose track record suggests they ignore policies and the law on a regular basis.