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Kalamazoo Shooting: Uber Driver Continued To Pick Up Fares [Updated]

By Antonio J. Newell
Published on: 15:56 PST, Feb 21, 2016

The Kalamazoo shooting has shocked America’s third-party riders to the core. Uber driver Jason Dalton went on a shooting rampage in Michigan. But, that wasn’t all.

According to a recent CNN report, the Kalamazoo shooting suspect continued to pick up Uber fares during his rampage. The shootings occurred during the evening hours of February 20.

WWMT – West Michigan reported that one of the suspect’s fares came forth with his personal experience, after riding with the shooting suspect. Matt Mellen described the drive and the driver’s behavior as “erratic.” As follows, Mellen testified:

“We got about a mile from my house, and he got a telephone call. After that call, he started driving erratically, running stop signs. We were kind of driving through medians, driving through the lawn speeding along and then finally, once he came to a stop, I jumped out of the car and ran away…He was surprisingly calm, I was freaking out.

“[It was a] pretty scary ordeal especially to be so closely involved with it. I’m just happy I’m safe…He wouldn’t stop. He just kind of kept looking at me like — ‘don’t you want to get to your friend’s house’ and I’m like I want to get there alive.”

The Uber rider and his fiancée also mentioned that they posted a photo to Facebook to forewarn others, in case they needed to take an Uber that night. Likewise, Uber has contacted authorities, letting them know the company is willing to cooperate fully and as needed. NBC – Bay Area states as follows.

“Uber prohibits both passengers and drivers from possessing guns of any kind in a vehicle. Anyone found to be in violation of the policy may be prohibited from using or driving for the service.”

Dalton seemingly pulled the wool over several people’s eyes. The Kalamazoo shooting suspect‘s neighbors can barely believe he committed such a crime. According to Lansing State Journal, neighbor Sally Pardo states that he was a family man and nice guy. The source reports her statement as follows:

“He was a nice guy. He had two kids, a wife. That’s what’s really sad. Those kids have to live with this for the rest of their lives. What’s even sadder is the victims and their families….What tripped him off? What caused this crazy random act? For those people to just be out for an evening, enjoying the night. What a horrible way to lose a loved one. It just breaks my heart.”

This neighbor says that — early Sunday morning — police officers arrived at the Kalamazoo shooting suspect’s home without sirens blaring. According to this witness, patrol car lights flashed, and the officers surrounded Dalton’s home quietly.

Interestingly enough, Pardo’s husband realized that Jason was the shooting suspect while browsing on his mobile device. He asked Pardo about Jason’s last name — and when it was confirmed — the two couldn’t believe the reports.

Nonetheless, NBC – Bay Area reports that Jason Dalton is set to be arraigned on February 22, for the four shooting deaths at a local Cracker Barrel. A fifth person survived, and his first victim — a woman at the Meadows apartment complex — also was expected to survive.

From the social perspective, several people refer to the Kalamazoo shooting suspect as a terrorist. And from his actions, the Federal Bureau of Investigation could define him as such. Specifically, his actions would fall under domestic terrorism.

So, what’s the difference in the shooting suspect’s actions and those of foreign terrorists? Essentially, do they not perform the same works? Foreign terrorists, here, are domestic terrorists in their own nations, yes? Feel free to share your thoughts on this issue.

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