According to the article, the suspect may have been picking up fares for Uber while shooting people, so his employer does appear to be relevant to the timeline.

Also, Uber was mentioned in a quote by a law enforcement officer, as being part of the context of the investigation:

    While the company did not address reports that Dalton picked up and dropped off 
    customers Saturday night, authorities told CNN that it was "certainly part 
    of our investigation."

    "We're looking into his connection to Uber and whether or not he was picking up 
    fares in between the shootings," said Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley. 

If the shooter had possibly been delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut in the same context, his employer would have been mentioned as well. Certainly a quote by law enforcement mentioning his employer would have been used. This isn't a hit piece against Uber, this is reporting being done the way reporting is usually done.

And if he was campaigning for Hillary between the shootings, that would also be relevant?

EDIT: on the second thought... yes, it would.

The cab driver / customer relationship is one of the few places in our culture where we have to set aside the age old wisdom of not getting into strangers' cars, and any hint that that might not be a good idea makes for sensational news. It's the same reason that picture of Gacy in clown makeup is so popular even though he never shot up a birthday party.

> What does Uber have to do with the story, other than to demonize the company?

There's a monetary incentive to put Uber in the headline.

Online media runs on advertising, advertising on hits. Uber is a curiosity right now, and a hot media item, so association ups hits.

Uber–association is particularly valuable if the headline generates emotion. There's innate curiosity about Uber as a new creature. There's emotion for murder. The melange is an often powerful cocktail of clicks.

The masses are not yet sure what to think of Uber, so many will eagerly click on this to help draw a conclusion about the safety of those using the company. People that would not otherwise click on either a murder or an Uber story. The mix ups the value; more people will see ads presented alongside the story.

Of course Taxi drivers have been mass murdering for generations. Of course the headline demonizes Uber. Those, while correct, are irrelevant. It is also irrelevant whether the media companies like or dislike Uber.

All that matters is that the media companies have a monetary incentive derived from the actions of the masses.

I think he may have had goatee as well. Definitely headline-worthy detail.