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2016 Kalamazoo shootings

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2016 Kalamazoo shootings
LocationKalamazoo, Richland Township and Texas Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, U.S.
DateFebruary 20, 2016
5:45 p.m. – 10:24 p.m. (EST)
Attack type
Spree shooting, mass shooting, drive-by shooting
WeaponsPistol
Deaths6
Injured2[1]
MotiveUnder investigation

On the night of February 20, 2016, six people were killed and two others injured in a series of random shootings that took place at an apartment complex, outside a restaurant, and a car dealership in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Police detained a 45-year-old Uber driver, Jason Brian Dalton, as a "strong suspect" in the shootings.

Shootings

Location Casualties Time
Meadows Townhomes complex
5066 Meadows Boulevard
42°20′02″N 85°31′13″W / 42.333829°N 85.520281°W / 42.333829; -85.520281 		One wounded[3] 5:45 p.m.
Seelye Kia Dealership
4102 Stadium Drive
42°16′17″N 85°38′18″W / 42.271454°N 85.638426°W / 42.271454; -85.638426 		Two dead[1][4][5] 10:08 p.m.
Cracker Barrel
5581 Cracker Barrel Boulevard
42°25′25″N 85°40′29″W / 42.4237197°N 85.674752°W / 42.4237197; -85.674752 		Four dead, one wounded[6] 10:24 p.m.

The shootings began around 5:45 p.m. when a woman was shot four times in a Richland Township apartment parking lot; the woman survived but is in critical condition.[2][7][8] About four and a half hours later, the shooter arrived at a Kia dealership in Kalamazoo, where he shot and killed two people. This was quickly followed by a third shooting outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Texas Township,[9] where four people seated inside two vehicles were killed and one other person was wounded.[1] The shooter reportedly talked to the victims at Cracker Barrel before shooting them.[10] Police believe none of the victims at the separate scenes were connected.[1] At least 30 rounds were said to have been fired during the shootings.[11]

Suspect

Police identified the suspect in the shootings as Kalamazoo resident Jason Brian Dalton, aged 45.[12][13][14][15] Police detained Dalton around 12:40 a.m. after pulling over his vehicle, a black Chevrolet HHR, which matched the description of the getaway vehicle in the shootings.[16][17] A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from inside the car.[2][18] Police indicated that Dalton had no known criminal history.[19]

According to documents released by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Dalton was born on June 22, 1970.[20] He attended Comstock High School in Kalamazoo, graduating in 1989.[21] Dalton worked as a driver for Uber and purportedly took fares between shooting incidents.[22][23] An Uber representative stated that Dalton had passed company background checks.[24] In addition, Dalton worked as an insurance adjuster and a mechanic.[8][25] Dalton was married and had two children at the time of the shootings.[26][27]

Neighbors stated that Dalton had been acting paranoid before the shootings occurred.[25] Before the shootings occurred, a woman posted on Facebook that she had phoned 9-1-1 about an Uber driver who was driving her boyfriend, named "Jason", who resembled Dalton. She wrote her concerns that he was "driving VERY erratically" moments before the shooting spree. Her boyfriend described Dalton sideswiping a car, running through traffic signals at high speeds, and weaving through traffic.[8][22][28] Between the shootings, Dalton had been picking up passengers.[29]

Dalton was not thought to be committing an act of terrorism with the shootings.[29]

Victims

The first people killed were Tyler D. Smith (17 years old),[30][31] and his father Richard E. Smith (53), who were both killed at the Kia car dealership[32] Four women – Mary Jo Nye (60),[33] Mary Lou Nye (62),[34] Dorothy Brown (74),[35] and Barbara Hawthorne (68)[36] – were killed at the Cracker Barrel. A 14-year-old girl who was with the four women was initially presumed dead, but later confirmed to have survived.[2][13]

Reactions

Governor Rick Snyder expressed his condolences on Twitter, writing, "The families of Kalamazoo victims are in our thoughts today. Grateful to @KalPublicSafety @MichStatePolice @KzooSheriff for a quick arrest".[37][38]

Joe Sullivan, Uber's Chief Security Officer, released a statement reading, "We are horrified and heartbroken at the senseless violence in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Our hearts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this devastating crime and those recovering from injuries. We have reached out to the police to help with their investigation in any way that we can."[39][40]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Calabrese, Erin; McCoy, Blake; Schuppe, Jon (February 21, 2016). "Kalamazoo Shootings: 6 Dead, 2 Wounded After 'Random' Shootings in Michigan". NBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "6 Killed, 2 Injured After Kalamazoo-Area Shooting Spree". Grand Rapids, MI: WOOD-TV. February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  3. ^ McKay, Tom (February 21, 2016). "At Least 6 Dead After Shooting Spree in Kalamazoo County, Michigan". Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  4. ^ Simpson, Ian (February 21, 2016). "Uber Driver Suspected in Michigan Shootings, Six Dead". Reuters Africa. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  5. ^ "Uber Driver Suspected in Michigan Shooting Spree, 6 Dead". United Press International. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Silverstein, Jason; Hensley, Nicole; Tracy, Thomas (February 21, 2016). "Uber driver allegedly kills 6 people in Kalamazoo During Hours-Long Shooting Spree". Daily News. New York. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  7. ^ "6 Dead in Kalamazoo County Shootings: Suspect Arrested". Grand Rapids, MI: WXMI-TV. Associated Press. February 20, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Stafford, Katrease (February 21, 2016). "After Kalamazoo shootings, the big question: Why?". USA Today. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  9. ^ "L ive At Cracker Barrel". Kalamazoo, MI: WWMT-TV. February 21, 2016 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ Hart, Peter Andrew; Bellware, Kim; Moran, Lee (February 21, 2016). "Michigan Shooting Spree Suspect Arrested After Allegedly Killing 6: Officials". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Hall, Rex, Jr. (February 21, 2016). "Kalamazoo Mass Shooting Suspect Fired 30-Plus Rounds at His 8 Victims". MLive. Retrieved February 21, 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Conlon, Kevin; Valencia, Nick (February 21, 2016). "Kalamazoo Uber Driver Picked Up Fares Between Killings, Source Says". CNN. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  13. ^ a b "6 Killed, 2 Injured, in Kalamazoo Shooting Spree as Driver Targets 'Random' Victims". Russia Today. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  14. ^ Flynn, Erin; Sparks, Kyle (February 20, 2016). "KDPS News Conference from Sunday Morning". Kalamazoo, MI: WWMT-TV. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  15. ^ Smith, Mitch; Davey, Monica; Blinder, Alan (February 21, 2016). "Kalamazoo Shootings Leave 6 Dead as Gunman Fires Randomly". The New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  16. ^ Koops, Chris [@chriskoops] (February 20, 2016). "Pics just in: possibly the Chevy HHR that the suspect was driving in Kalamazoo shootings. @FOX17" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (February 21, 2016). "Please be cautious and advise us if you know or..." (Facebook post). Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  18. ^ "Michigan mass shootings: 'How do you tell the families of these victims they weren't targeted for any reason?'". Chicago Tribune. February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  19. ^ "Latest: Michigan Community Holds Vigil After 6 Fatally Shot". ABC News. Associated Press. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  20. ^ Croteau, Scott J. (February 21, 2016). "Suspect in Michigan Killing Spree Captured: Authorities Say Jason Dalton Acted Alone". MassLive.com. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  21. ^ Mooney, Paula (February 21, 2016). "Jason Brian Dalton Facebook Photos: Dalton's 'Next Deer Hunter': Facebook Info, 7th Wedding Anniversary, Facebook Group". Inquisitr. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  22. ^ a b Politi, Daniel (February 21, 2016). "Uber Driver Suspected of Killing Six People in Random Michigan Shooting Rampage". Slate. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  23. ^ "Police: Kzoo Shooting Suspect Was Uber Driver". Grand Rapids, MI: WOOD-TV. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  24. ^ "Michigan Shooter Was an Uber Driver, Reportedly Took Customers Between Killings Video". Stuff.co.nz. Reuters. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  25. ^ a b Sparks, Kyle; Marr, Jeremy (February 21, 2016). "The Latest: Six Killed in String of Shootings, Suspect Was Uber Driver". Kalamazoo, MI: WWMT. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  26. ^ Stafford, Katrease (February 21, 2016). "Neighbors: Kalamazoo Suspect Good Family Man, 'Liked Guns'". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  27. ^ Cummings, William (February 21, 2016). "Police: 6 Dead in 'Random' Michigan Shootings: Suspect Held". Minneapolis: KARE-TV. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  28. ^ Harthorn, Jessica (February 21, 2016). "Timeline of Kalamazoo Shooting Spree". Kalamazoo, MI: WWMT-TV. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  29. ^ a b Holly Yan, CNN (February 22, 2016). "Michigan shooting rampage: What we know and don't know". CNN. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  30. ^ Monacelli, Emily (February 21, 2016). "High School Senior from Mattawan Killed in Kalamazoo Mass Shootings". MLive. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  31. ^ "Kalamazoo Vigil Honoring Shooting Victims". Walker, MI: WZZM-TV. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  32. ^ Koerner, Claudia (February 21, 2016). "These Are the Victims of the Kalamazoo, Michigan Shootings". Buzzfeed. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  33. ^ Bowman, Jennifer (February 21, 2016). "One Kalamazoo Victim a Battle Creek Retired Teacher". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  34. ^ Lopez, German (February 21, 2016). "Kalamazoo, Michigan, Shootings: What We Know". Vox. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  35. ^ "Kalamazoo Shooting Update" (Press release). Michigan State Police. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  36. ^ Brenzing, Bob (February 21, 2016). "What We Know So Far: Kalamazoo Shooting Victims". Grand Rapids, MI: WXMI-TV. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  37. ^ Snyder, Rick [@onetoughnerd] (February 21, 2016). "The families of Kalamazoo victims are in our thoughts today. Grateful to @KalPublicSafety @MichStatePolice @KzooSheriff for a quick arrest" (Tweet). Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ "The Latest: Gov. Snyder: Thoughts Go Out to Kalamazoo Shooting Victims". TheBlaze. Associated Press. February 21, 2016. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  39. ^ Sullivan, Joe (February 21, 2016). "Statement on Kalamazoo" (Press release). Uber. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  40. ^ Bergen, Mark (February 21, 2016). "Suspected Shooter Behind Kalamazoo Murders Was Uber Driver with No Criminal Record". Re/code. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
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