A Michigan judge ruled on Friday that an Uber driver who was charged with killing six people in a shooting spree in Kalamazoo in February was competent to stand trial.
Jason Dalton, 45, is charged with shooting eight people, killing six of them, over a five-hour period on Feb. 20, in between driving customers for the Uber car service in Kalamazoo, Michigan, about 150 miles (240 km) west of Detroit.
He faces 16 charges, including six of murder that can bring life in prison.
The judge reached the decision after hearing from a psychiatrist who examined Dalton and said he understood the proceedings and the charges against him. The psychiatrist did not evaluate his state of mind of the time of the shootings.
Bail for Dalton has been denied after a court hearing in which a detective testified that Dalton had admitted to the shooting rampage.
A lawyer for Dalton’s wife, Carole, said Jason Dalton had been depressed in the days before the shooting spree, but offered no further explanation. Dalton’s family has previously said they were devastated by the news and saddened for the victims and their families.
Carole Dalton subsequently filed for divorce. The couple have been married since 1995 and have a 15-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter.
