Suspect in Michigan Shootings Appears in Court

The suspect in a mass shooting in the northern U.S. state of Michigan was charged Monday with multiple murders.

Jason Dalton, 45, was arrested early Sunday morning. He was charged with shootings around Kalamazoo, Michigan, where seven were killed and one was wounded.

The shootings took place at three sites Saturday evening. A woman was wounded at an apartment complex. A father and son were killed while looking at vehicles at an automobile dealership.

Minutes later, four were killed and one person was wounded outside a restaurant. The wounded victim, a 14-year-old girl, died early Monday morning, according to the Associated Press.

Law enforcement authorities say the shootings were done on a random basis. Dalton, the suspect, was working for Uber, the ride-hailing service, when the shootings took place.

Just after midnight on Sunday, police took Dalton into custody. Police also recovered a handgun. The suspect was described as being “even tempered” when arrested.

No motive has been given for the shootings. Dalton has no criminal record or history of mental disorders, according to authorities.

The Michigan killings continue a violent trend in the United States this year. The website massshootingtracker.org reported more than 40 mass shootings have occurred.

The staff at VOA News reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

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