The Uber driver accused of shootings in Kalamazoo admits to attacks

Uber declined to go on the record about the chronology of events on Saturday night, but did acknowledge that several passengers had complained about Dalton’s driving, including the passenger who called 911 to report him.

The first shooting, in which a woman was seriously injured, took place just before 6 p.m. Saturday outside a Kalamazoo apartment complex.

Richard Smith, 53, and his son Tyler, 17, were looking at a vehicle at a auto dealership when both were shot and killed, police said.

Minutes later, at around 10:24, Michigan State Police say Dalton pulled his Chevy HHR into a Cracker Barrel restaurant parking lot and opened fire on a Chevrolet Cruze and an Oldsmobile minivan, killing Mary Lou Nye, 62; Mary Jo Nye, 60; Dorothy Brown, 74; and Barbara Hawthorne, 68. Chief Hadley said he understood that the wounded teenage girl was initially believed to have died when she grasped the hand of one of her parents.

When asked if he’d like to make any comments, Dalton said, “I would prefer just to remain silent”.

MI state prosecutor Jeff Getting said Dalton had been arrested and would face multiple murder and attempted murder counts. And his girlfriend posted a warning about Dalton, with his Uber profile picture, on Facebook.

Uber did not immediately comment but a spokesman says they are preparing a statement. But at the same time, the Uber drivers who are in the Dayton area, what I’ve noticed, it’s a lot of retired men and people trying to earn some extra cash.

A prosecutor says a man charged with killing six people in western MI has admitted to the weekend shootings.

Ed Davis, a member of Uber’s safety advisory board and a former police commissioner, said that even if the company had met driver candidates in person it would not be able to predict whether the driver might have a “psychotic episode”.

The judge denied bail and set March 3 for the next hearing.

Dalton’s admissions to police were used to justify the charges. “After that call, he started driving erratically, running stop signs”, Mellen told the station. “But clearly, we’re going to need to do more if we’re going to keep innocent Americans safe”, Mr Obama said in remarks before the National Governors Association at the White House. Dalton was approved to drive for Uber on January 25 and had completed about 100 rides with a rating of 4.73 out of 5 before Saturday, company officials said.

The Dalton family released a statement, expressing its condolences to the families of the victims.

A simple squeeze of her mother’s hand was enough to alert doctors that a 14-year-old victim of the mass shootings in Kalamazoo had survived the carnage. Dalton reportedly continued to pick up fares as he went to the various shooting scenes. Officials said a search of Dalton’s home, where he lived with his wife and two children, produced evidence to suggest he acted alone.

“The reason we do that, just to be clear, is because with something like bad driving, we’re not going to take away someone’s ability to earn a living without talking to them first”, the spokesperson said.