Thread: At least 6 killed in random serial shooting in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

BREAKING NEWS

AT LEAST 6 KILLED IN KALAMAZOO COUNTY RANDOM SHOOTING SPREE

At least 6 killed in random serial shooting in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Published time: 21 Feb, 2016 04:41Edited time: 21 Feb, 2016 05:06

At least six people have been shot and killed in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, according to police, who say the suspect is still on the loose and seems to be shooting people at random.

“We had several shootings tonight in the county and in the city of Kalamazoo. They all appear to be related. We have multiple people dead,” Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas told 24 Hour News 8.

At least six people have been killed in the ongoing series of incidents, Matyas told FOX 17.

“We have somebody who is just driving around finding people and shooting them dead in their tracks,” the officer added.

Authorities confirmed to the channel that they do not have a suspect in custody at this time. The shooter is believed to be driving in a light-colored GM-make SUV.

The suspect is believed to have been a white male in his 50s. Deputies are asking anyone with information to call the Kalamazoo Sheriff Department.

https://www.rt.com/usa/333151-michig...oting-victims/

6 dead in Kalamazoo shooting rampage; suspect in custody

By Kevin Conlon and Joshua Berlinger, CNN
Updated 10:41 AM ET, Sun February 21, 2016

(CNN)Police have arrested Jason Brian Dalton in connection with three shooting incidents that killed six people and injured two more in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, prosecutor Jeff Getting said Sunday.

"This is just the most awful thing I can think of," Getting said at a press conference held to announce the arrest of Dalton, 45, and to reassure the community that there is no longer a threat.
"There was only one shooter," he said. "And that person is in custody."

Rampage lasted more than 6 hours

According to police, the first shooting took place around 6 p.m., when a woman was shot four times in an apartment complex parking lot. Getting said the woman -- who was with her three children -- is in serious condition, but expected to survive.


Jason Brian Dalton was arrested in connection with a shooting rampage.


Then, four hours later, two men -- an 18-year-old and an older male -- were shot and killed at a Kia dealership. Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said the pair were there looking at a vehicle.

Getting, who would not identify any of the victims, would not confirm reports that it was a father and son.

Ten minutes after that, at around 10:10, police say Dalton fired on two vehicles in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant, killing four adult women and "gravely" injuring a 14-year-old girl. Getting said authorities initially thought the teen was dead. "Call it a miracle," he said. "But she's alive now."

The prosecutor said the Cracker Barrel victims were together in a single group.

After another two hours or so, at approximately 12:30 a.m., police took Dalton into custody, ending a six-hour nightmare that brought Kalamazoo to its knees.

Police seized a semiautomatic handgun from Dalton, whom Getting described as "even-tempered" at the time of his arrest.

"There is just no question more people would have died if (police) didn't find him when they did," Getting said.

No motive known

The cruel randomness of the rampage seemed to rattle officials in the western Michigan city.

"This is your worst nightmare," Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas told CNN affiliate WOOD-TV."When you have somebody just driving around randomly killing people."

Getting appeared to struggle at times for the right words, if there were any, at Sunday's press conference.

"There is this sense of loss, anger, (and) fear," he said. " On top of that, how do you tell the families of these victims that they were not targeted for any other reason than they were a target?"

Getting said police don't yet know a motive, but authorities are confident that Dalton acted alone, and that there is no connection to terrorism. Formal charges will be brought Monday, he said.

"I would expect six counts of murder, two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, six counts of felony firearm, and then we'll see from there."

'Typical American family'

Neighbor Sally Pardo told CNN that Dalton is married with two children, and that they seemed to be a "typical American family,"

"This seems so out of sorts for him," added Gary Pardo, her husband.

The Pardos, who have lived across the street from Dalton's single-family home for 10 years, said that Dalton was quiet and liked to work on cars.

"I know he liked guns," Gary Pardo said.

Getting said he didn't know if Dalton had a license for the handgun that was seized at the time of his arrest.
A Kalamazoo Police crime lab van was parked outside Dalton's home Sunday morning. A CNN crew saw at least 10 boxes being removed from the house and loaded into the van.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/21/us/mic...hooting-spree/

Source: Kalamazoo Uber driver picked up fares between killings

By Kevin Conlon and Nick Valencia, CNN
Updated 3:08 PM ET, Sun February 21, 2016 | Video Source: CNN

Kalamazoo, Michigan (CNN)The man accused of killing six people and injuring two more in a Saturday evening shooting rampage in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an Uber driver who picked up and dropped off passengers between shootings, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

The source, who is not authorized to speak to media, said investigators believe Jason Dalton was even looking for fares after the final shooting of a nearly seven-hour killing rampage.

The ride-sharing company confirmed to CNN that Dalton, 45, was an Uber driver and said he had passed a background check.

"We are horrified and heartbroken at the senseless violence in Kalamazoo," Uber's chief security officer Joe Sullivan said to CNN in a statement. "We have reached out to the police to help with their investigation in any way that we can."

Rampage lasted nearly 7 hours

Michigan State Police said the first shooting was reported at 5:42 p.m., after a woman was shot multiple times in an apartment complex parking lot.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting said the woman -- who was with her three children -- is in serious condition, but expected to survive.


Jason Brian Dalton was arrested in connection with a shooting rampage.


Then, more than four hours later, a father and son were shot and killed at a car dealership. Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said the pair were there looking at a vehicle. Police have not yet released their names.

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.

A fifth victim, a 14-year-old girl riding in the Chevrolet's front passenger seat, was initially thought to have been killed as well, but is now listed in critical condition, according to the state police. "Call it a miracle," said Getting. "But she's alive now."

He said all five were together in a group.

After another two hours or so, at approximately 12:40 a.m., police took Dalton, 45, into custody, ending a nearly seven-hour nightmare.

Police seized a semiautomatic handgun from Dalton, whom Getting described as "even-tempered" at the time of his arrest.

"There is just no question more people would have died if (police) didn't find him when they did," Getting said.

Motive unknown

The cruel randomness of the rampage seemed to rattle officials in the western Michigan city.

"This is your worst nightmare," Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Paul Matyas told CNN affiliate WOOD-TV. "When you have somebody just driving around randomly killing people."

"We just can't figure out the motive," said Hadley. "There's nothing that gives us any indication as to why he would do this or what would have triggered this.

The victims did not know him, he did not know the victims."

Getting appeared to struggle at times for the right words, if there were any, at Sunday's press conference.

"There is this sense of loss, anger, (and) fear," he said. "On top of that, how do you tell the families of these victims that they were not targeted for any other reason than they were a target?"

Getting said he was confident that Dalton acted alone, and that there is no connection to terrorism. Formal charges will be brought Monday, he said.

"I would expect six counts of murder, two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, six counts of felony firearm, and then we'll see from there."

'Typical American family'

For the last 10 years, Sally and Gary Pardo have lived across the street from Dalton's single-family home on Douglas Street in Kalamazoo.

Sally Pardo told CNN that Dalton is married with two children, and that they seemed to be a "typical American family."

"This seems so out of sorts for him," said husband Gary Pardo, who described Dalton as "quiet" and "nice."

He did tell CNN, however, "I know he liked guns."

Getting, the prosecutor, said he didn't know if Dalton had a license for the handgun that was seized at the time of his arrest.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/21/us/mic...hooting-spree/