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Dalton Pleads Guilty To 2016 Kalamazoo Shooting Spree

File photo of Jason Dalton entering Kalamazoo County Circuit Court on Monday January 7th MLive.com
MLive.com

The man who committed a string of shootings in the Kalamazoo area almost three years ago, which left six people dead and two badly injured, has pleaded guilty to all charges against him. 

Trial was scheduled to begin on Tuesday for Jason Dalton of Cooper Township. He was arrested after the shootings, which took place in three different locations around Kalamazoo on February 20th, 2016.

Jury selection was scheduled for Monday. But in court Monday morning, Dalton instead pleaded guilty, to charges including premeditated murder and felony use of firearms. Dalton's lawyer, Eusebio Solis told the court that his client wanted to spare his family and the families of the victims from a trial.

Jason Dalton in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court on Monday
Credit MLive.com
Jason Dalton in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court on Monday

Dalton appeared to smirk as he told the judge over and over that he was guilty - on 16 counts in all. Some relatives of the victims cried as Dalton spoke.

Sentencing has been set for February 5. Dalton's plea means that he faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
Sehvilla Mann joined WMUK’s news team in 2014 as a reporter on the local government and education beats. She covered those topics and more in eight years of reporting for the Station, before becoming news director in 2022.
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