Uber shooting leaves 5 dead

“I would prefer to just remain silent,” were the words spoken by suspect Jason Dalton, 45, after admitting involvement in the Kalamazoo, Mich., shooting spree on Feb. 20, which left six people dead and two others critically injured, according to CNN.

The first victim, Tiana Carruthers, mother of three, was shot multiple times in front of her children in a parking lot at Meadows Townhomes. She was hospitalized in critical condition but is expected to recover.

The next two victims were 17-year-old Tyler Smith and his father Rich Smith. They were killed while car shopping at Seelye Kia of Kalamazoo. The teen’s girlfriend had joined them at the dealership, and she hid in the back of the car while the shooting took place.

In the final shooting at a Cracker Barrel, four women were killed, and a young girl was critically injured. The women were friends having a casual night out before attending a play at a local university. The victims are Mary Lou Nye, 62, and Mary Jo Nye, 60, who were sisters-in-law and friends, and their friends Barbara Hawthorne, 68, and Dorothy Brown, 74.

With the women at Cracker Barrel was a 14-year-old girl named Abigail Kopf, who was so close to Hawthorne she considered her an adopted niece. Kopf’s heart had stopped, but the doctors got it to beat again. Kopf was originally kept on life support so her organs could be donated; however, she suddenly squeezed her mom’s hand. She remains critically ill, but she is fighting for her life.

Jason Dalton was driving for Uber the night of his killing spree, and he picked up and dropped off passengers in between the attacks. He was arrested in downtown Kalamazoo at 12:40 a.m. His Chevrolet HHR had been described by someone who witnessed the Cracker Barrel shooting. The gun in Dalton’s car matched the shell casings at the shooting scenes.

Dalton faces six counts of murder, two counts of assault with the intent to commit murder, and eight counts of felony firearm use.

Investigators still can’t find a motive for the random attacks. He did not know the victims, and investigators believe he acted alone. Dalton was background checked by Uber prior to working for the company, and he had no criminal record and was not known by the authorities.

Jason Dalton has a wife and two kids; aged 15 and 10. His wife has filed for divorce following the Feb. 20 shooting.

His family sent out their condolences to the victim’s families, but has otherwise stayed out of media coverage.