Uber shootings: Driver pleads guilty to six murders

An Uber driver accused of killing six people at random in a shooting spree in the US state of Michigan in 2016 has pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder and firearms offenses.

Four people were killed at a restaurant and two at a car dealership in the shootings in the city of Kalamazoo. Jason Dalton, 48, had initially blamed the app for controlling his "mind and body". But he changed his plea shortly before his trial was due to begin. No deal was offered to Dalton for the guilty plea, prosecutors said. His charges consist of six counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and eight charges relating to firearms offenses. He now faces a mandatory life sentence without parole. Dalton had earlier reportedly told police that he was made a "puppet" by the Uber application, which directed him to shoot people at random over a five-hour period in February 2016. Although none of the victims were Uber customers, police said Dalton continued to pick up passengers during the shooting spree in Kalamazoo, a small city about 150 miles (241km) west of Detroit. Following his arrest that evening, Uber confirmed that Dalton was a driver registered with the app-based cab-hailing company, issuing a statement saying that it was "horrified and heartbroken" at the violence. Dalton had undergone background checks but passed because he had no criminal record, Uber said. Courtesy: BBC