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Kalamazoo shooting suspect dragged out of court room after outburst

A judge ordered the murder case against Jason Dalton sent to circuit court for trial on charges he killed 6 people and tried to kill two others in the February 20 Kalamazoo shootings.

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Tiana Carruthers, who reportedly was shot three times after putting herself between the shooter and some children she was taking care of, was the first witness to take the stand on Friday morning.

Last month, a judge ruled that Dalton, who told police that a “devil figure” on Uber’s app was controlling him, is competent to stand trial.

Tiana Carruthers was one of the eight people prosecutors say he shot that night and one of only two who survived. Dalton said he was going to leave after shooting Nye, but he heard other people screaming, so he turned his gun on them. He watched the proceedings from the Kalamazoo County Jail on a two-way video link.

As Carruthers told the story in a shaky voice, Dalton interrupted her, talking about black bags. Dalton had previously claimed that the Uber app made him carry out the shootings.

“These old people they have these old black bags”.

As Dalton attempted to stand, Getting moved to stand between Dalton and Carruthers, who was screaming and sobbing in the witness chair. Judge Christopher Haenicke cut him off and called a recess after he said, “It’s time to get to temple”.

Tiana Carruthers, a survivor of the shooting, was on the stand during Jason Dalton’s preliminary hearing recalling moments from the February 20 rampage.

The preliminary hearing is to determine if there is enough evidence to send the case to trial.

During the Friday testimony of his first victim, Carruthers, Wood TV reported that the killer had several outbursts.

Dalton had been out working for Uber on the night the attack took place. He was shot and killed, along with his father, Richard, while at a auto dealership. She was shot four times.

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When Dalton ended up outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant, he shot 62-year-old Mary Lou Nye after she declined his request for a dollar, according to a state police report.

Key hearing next for man charged with killing 6 in Michigan