A judge is holding a key hearing to determine whether a Michigan man will go to trial for random shootings that killed six people and injured two more. Jason Dalton is accused in three separate shootings in the Kalamazoo-area in February, which authorities said he carried out between picking up riders as an Uber driver. A judge on Friday must decide whether there’s enough evidence to move the case to trial court. Police have quoted Dalton as saying a “devil figure” on Uber’s app was controlling him the night of the shootings. Six people were killed and a woman and a 14-year-old girl were injured on February 20. Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder. He’s been found mentally competent to understand the charges and assist his lawyer.
Killed were Richard and Tyler Smith of Mattawan; Mary Lou Nye of Baroda; Mary Jo Nye, Dorothy Brown, and Dorothy Hawthorne of Battle Creek. Tiana Carruthers was shot and injured in the first shooting, while Abigail Kopf survived the shooting that killed the four women in a Cracker Barrel parking lot.
