Jason Dalton: Former Uber driver pleads guilty to shooting six people dead in Michigan

He faces a life prison sentence without the possibility of parole

Uber driver Jason Dalton, suspected of killing six people and wounding two others, is seen on closed circuit television during his arraignment in Kalamazoo County, Michigan (Reuters)

The man who shot and killed six people during a 2016 shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan pleaded guilty on Monday.

Jason Dalton, a former Uber driver, opened fire in a series of seemingly random shootings at an apartment complex, car dealership and outside a restaurant on February 20, 2016. The string of shootings killed six people and injured two others.

Prosecutors said they would accept his plea if the 45-year-old defendant took responsibility for his actions and plead guilty on all counts against him. The motion came during jury selection.

Dalton plead guilty—against the advice of his attorney Eusebio Solis—on all counts to protect his family and spare grief for the victims’ families who are reliving the tragic incidents, CNN affiliated WOOD reported.

Dalton’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 5. He faces a mandatory life in person sentence without the possibility of parole, the Kalamazoo County prosecuting attorney said.

During Dalton’s preliminary hearing in May 2016, Tina Carruthers—a survivor—recounted the moments before he shot her when she took her daughter and four other children to a park nearby her apartment complex.

Speaking to the court, Ms Carruthers said she and others were walking through a parking lot when a silver SUV nearly ran them over. The man driving the vehicle then asked if she was “Macy” or “Maisie.”

Dalton then interrupted Ms Carruthers in court.

“No, they gave bags, these old people, they have these old black bags, that are called -- they’re black, they’re black bags that people drive around and people look at them,” Dalton said. “It gets real bad, it’s time people look and that’s when they tell the people it’s time to get to temple.”

Dalton then attempted to stand, but court officers quickly restrained him before dragging him out of the courtroom, CNN reported.

Ms Carruthers, still on the stand, screamed. She was quickly surrounded and comforted by her legal team and supporters. They escorted her out of the courtroom.