KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN – The gunman accused of killing six people and heavily injuring two others on Saturday has been identified. A State Police spokesperson\u00a0described\u00a0Jason Dalton as a 45-year-old Uber driver. Apparently, he gave multiple rides throughout his 4-hour shooting spree.<\/h3>\n

via worldnow.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Implications For Uber<\/h1>\n

State police officials told WOOD-TV they were still investigating whether Dalton drove customers that night. Meanwhile, multiple witness reports imply that he was.<\/p>\n

via reviewjournal.com<\/p><\/div>\n

A number of people saw the gunman drop off Uber fares near the Cracker Barrel, in Battle Creek. This was the last, and the bloodiest, of his three crime scenes.<\/p>\n

Dalton entered and fired at everyone in sight. He killed four women, also injuring a 14-yearold girl. The teenager is still in critical condision, though doctors say they’re optimistic about her recovery.<\/p>\n

Uber isnt responsible for the drivers’ actions but they claim to respond to customers. So, even their close compliance with police don’t make up for what happened with Matt Mellen.<\/p>\n

The Senseless Tragedy Could Have Been Prevented<\/h1>\n

Mellen spoke to WWMT \u00a0(CBS’s affiliate TV news network), revealing that Uber was warned about an out-of-control driver. Matt\u00a0says he attempted to contact them after trying to alert the police. Neither party took any steps to locate Dalton. An hour later, the gunman\u00a0fired his first shot, wounding a woman near an old apartment building.<\/p>\n

wxyz.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Mellen, a long-time Uber customer, was picked up by Dalton at about 4:15 p.m. He introduced himself by a fake name and began recklessly speeding through\u00a0red lights. Mellen says\u00a0Dalton drove right on the\u00a0median of a two-way street at 50 mph. Then, he drove along a suburban sidewalk,\u00a0showing no\u00a0intent to slow down. When the car ripped apart a lawn, the driver finally slowed down. Matt got out\u00a0when it fully\u00a0stopped.<\/p>\n

Dalton’s Motive<\/h1>\n

The suspect picked\u00a0targets at random. A middle-aged woman, a father with his son, four women in their 60’s and a high-school freshman – they had nothing in common.<\/p>\n

Dalton carried the semi-automatic pistol legally. As such, he was deemed to have no mental health issues. The Uber driver has no criminal record and 0 red flags came up in a background check.<\/p>\n

courtesy of npr.org<\/p><\/div>\n

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