This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/21/michigan-shootings-multiple-deaths-in-kalamazoo-as-gunman-kills-randomly

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
Kalamazoo shootings: six dead in Michigan after 'random' attacks Kalamazoo shootings: six dead in Michigan after 'random' attacks
(about 2 hours later)
A man has been arrested in Michigan after the “random” killing of at least six people, who were shot at multiple locations in and around the city of Kalamazoo. Three people were injured, including a 14-year-old girl. A man has been arrested in Michigan over the “random” killings of at least six people at multiple locations in and around the city of Kalamazoo. Two people were injured in the shootings, including a 14-year-old girl.
Police described “ugly” scenes after the shootings, which were carried out by “a guy going around randomly killing innocent people”. A 45-year-old man was arrested at 12.40am local time (0540 GMT) who police said was a “strong suspect”. Police arrested Jason Dalton around 12.40am on Sunday without “confrontation” and nearly seven hours after the shooting rampage began.
Early on Sunday, police named Jason Dalton of Kalamazoo County as the suspect arrested after a massive manhunt. Police said Dalton, 45, was cooperative and his demeanor was “even-tempered”. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from his vehicle, dark-colored Chevy HHR, a description of which was obtained through CCTV footage at a car dealership and restaurant where two of the three shootings took place.
“The threat to the public is over,” Undersheriff Paul Matyas said. “This is just the most awful thing I can think of having happening, and to have to stand here and talk about these kinds of things is just a terrible thing,” Kalamazoo county prosecuting attorney Jeff Getting told reporters at a press conference early on Sunday.
The spree began at around 6pm on Saturday, when a woman was shot multiple times outside an apartment complex in eastern Kalamazoo county, according to Matyas. Police believe the woman was babysitting several children, who were not harmed. The victim was taken to a local hospital where she remained in serious condition. “There is no continuing threat to the safety of this community … we have no reason to believe there was more than one person involved in any of these incidents.”
Hours later, in what police believe was a connected incident, two people were shot dead outside a car dealership in the city of Kalamazoo, roughly 140 miles west of Detroit and a 15-minute drive from the earlier shooting. The dead are believed to be a father and son.. In early reports, police mistakenly said that seven people had been killed. They later revised the count to six. The 14-year-old girl was initially included in the count, but Getting clarified that she was “seriously, gravely injured”.
A woman who observed the shooting in a nearby vehicle was unharmed, according to Jeff Hadley, chief of Kalamazoo public safety, and was being interviewed by police. Later on Sunday, Michigan governor Rick Snyder released a statement in which he said: “The victims and their families – and the entire Kalamazoo area – should be in everyone’s thoughts today.”
Snyder also praised members of the community and law enforcement officials who he said “quickly came together”.
“Their actions resulted in the suspect being caught before he was able to harm anyone else through these senseless and apparently random acts of violence,” he said.
The victims appear to have been randomly targeted, police said, but few details were offered early on Sunday, as next of kin were still being contacted.
According to police, Dalton had no known criminal record and a motive for the shooting spree was not known.
Police described “ugly” scenes after the shootings, which a spokesman said were carried out by “a guy going around randomly killing innocent people”.
At around 6pm on Saturday, a woman was shot multiple times outside an apartment complex in eastern Kalamazoo county, according to Kalamazoo County undersheriff Paul Matyas.
Police said the woman was babysitting several children, who were not harmed. The victim was taken to a local hospital where she remained in serious condition.
Hours later, in what police said was a connected incident, two people were shot dead outside a car dealership in Kalamazoo itself, a city roughly 140 miles west of Detroit and a 15-minute drive from the earlier shooting. The dead were believed to be father and son.
A woman who observed the shooting from a nearby vehicle was unharmed, according to Jeff Hadley, chief of Kalamazoo public safety, and was being interviewed by police.
“These appear to be random acts of violence,” Hadley said.“These appear to be random acts of violence,” Hadley said.
Roughly 15 minutes later, police responded to a nearby Cracker Barrel restaurant, where the same gunman is believed to have shot and killed four others. Matyas said one victim there was a 14-year-old female, though early on Sunday morning police revised their reports and said the girl was still alive. Roughly 15 minutes later, police responded to a Cracker Barrel restaurant, where the same gunman was believed to have shot and killed four people. Matyas said one victim there was the 14-year-old female who was later said to be still alive.
Hadley said the suspect was apprehended around 12.40am in downtown Kalamazoo, driving a vehicle matching the description of a dark-colored Chevy HHR captured on CCTV at the car dealership. Matyas described the shootings as “our worst-case scenario”.
“That person is being brought back [to police headquarters] and we’re trying to get information out as quick as possible to calm people’s fears up there in the community,” Hadley told the Guardian. Multiple state agencies were involved in the investigation, including Michigan state police, the Kalamazoo department of public safety and Kalamazoo county sheriff’s office. Matyas said law enforcement officials were still at the attack scenes, and described the investigation as “very fluid”.
“We’re fairly certain that he is the suspect but we’re still in the process of determining that 100%.” The suspect was arrested “without confrontation”, the police chief said, and one weapon was recovered from the vehicle.
Matyas said earlier authorities did not believe the shootings were targeted at specific people, describing them as “our worst-case scenario”.
“These are random murders,” he said.
Multiple state agencies were involved in the investigation, including Michigan state police, the Kalamazoo department of public safety and Kalamazoo county sheriff’s office.
Matyas said law enforcement officials were still at the attack scenes, and described the investigation as “very fluid”.
“It’s a very ugly scene – all of them,” he said. “All the agencies involved are mulling over it.”“It’s a very ugly scene – all of them,” he said. “All the agencies involved are mulling over it.”
He continued: “I’ve been 40 years involved in police work, and I’ve seen a lot of grizzly scenes, but this one is ugly in that, this is just a guy going around randomly killing innocent people. That’s what makes this one so ugly.”He continued: “I’ve been 40 years involved in police work, and I’ve seen a lot of grizzly scenes, but this one is ugly in that, this is just a guy going around randomly killing innocent people. That’s what makes this one so ugly.”