Controlled chaos Friday morning in a Kalamazoo County courtroom as accused killer Jason Dalton interrupted dramatic testimony from victim Tiana Carruthers.
Advertisement
In Late February, Dalton was accused and later admitted to “his involvement” in a shooting spree that killed six and injured two at various different locations in and around the Kalamazoo, Michigan area.
Moments later, Dalton attempted to stand. Court officers quickly restrained him and then dragged him out of the courtroom. Carruthers began sobbing on the witness stand, which is when Haenicke asked deputies to remove Dalton.
Judge Christopher Haenicke told Dalton to stop and to listen to his attorney.
“I just wanted to make sure she was safe and that she felt safe”, Getting said. She approached him as he walked up to her children, who playing in front of their townhome, and shot her several times, police said.
Dalton was dragged out of the courtroom and appeared about two hours later for the continuation of the hearing via a video feed from the jail.
“Aviator cars. No! They gave bags, black bags they are called… that people drive around and they look… and that’s when you tell people you need to get to temple”.
A ballistics expert from the Michigan State Police said shell casings found at three shootings sites matched either a 9mm Glock seized at Dalton’s home or a 9mm Walther semi-automatic pistol that he had in his pocket when he was arrested.
A Kalamazoo County District judge says there’s enough evidence to send mass shooting suspect Jason Brian Dalton to trial in Circuit Court.
“Do you see the person who shot you?” She cried on the witness stand, saying, “I hurt every single day”.
As Carruthers began testifying in a wavering voice, Dalton suddenly tried to rise from his seat and erupted into near-gibberish.
Advertisement
Survivor Tiana Carruthers broke down in tears as Dalton muttered incoherently. A report on the findings of the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Saline, Mich., said Dalton was able to understand the charges against him and to assist in his defense. He killed a father and son in a auto dealership parking lot and four women standing outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant.
