Kalamazoo Shootings Suspect Sues For $10 Million: ‘My Life Is Ruined Because Of Uber’

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2016, file photo, Jason Dalton, of Kalamazoo Township, Mich., is arraigned via video before Judge Christopher T. Haenicke in Kalamazoo, Mich. Dalton who is accused of fatally shooting six peop... FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2016, file photo, Jason Dalton, of Kalamazoo Township, Mich., is arraigned via video before Judge Christopher T. Haenicke in Kalamazoo, Mich. Dalton who is accused of fatally shooting six people between driving passengers for Uber in Michigan is suing the ride-sharing company for $10 million. He filed a handwritten complaint Tuesday, March 15, 2016, against Uber, saying he's "in prison because of Uber," though he doesn't mention the shootings directly. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File) MORE LESS
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DETROIT (AP) — A man who police say told investigators that “a devil figure” on Uber’s app was controlling him when he allegedly killed six people in western Michigan is suing the ride-sharing company.

In his handwritten complaint filed Tuesday, Jason Dalton does not mention the shootings directly, but said: “I am currently in prison because of Uber.” Dalton is accused of fatally shooting six people and wounding two others between picking up passengers for Uber in Kalamazoo on Feb. 20.

In his lawsuit, Dalton seeks $10 million from Uber. He claims that the company “ripped” him off and failed to pay him back wages and overtime. The 1½-page lawsuit was mailed to the U.S. District Court in Detroit.

“I busted my butt for them,” Dalton wrote. “They gave me no Christmas bonus, I wasn’t invited to any corporate parties, they made me work when I was sick and didn’t let me spend time with my two children.”

He continued: “My life is ruined because of Uber. My wife is divorcing me because of Uber.”

The company said Dalton started working for Uber earlier this year.

“It’s hard to know how to respond to someone who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions,” Uber said in an emailed statement Wednesday. “Our hearts go out to the victims’ families who have to live with the consequences of his terrible crimes.”

Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings at three separate locations.

According to documents police released Monday, Dalton told investigators that when he opened the Uber app, “a devil head popped up on his screen and when he pressed the button on the app, that is when all the problems started.”

His attorney has not responded to requests for comment on his client’s behalf.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Notable Replies

  1. Inmates often file frivolous, idiotic pleadings. Why give this murderer’s crackpot complaint any press at all?

  2. If only he’d realized that the devil figure goes away if you upgrade to the paid version of the app.

  3. Wanna kill people and then get off on an insanity plea? There’s an app for that!

  4. And it was only $2.99!

  5. Change the names and crimes and you might think you were listening to the latest Donald Trump legal gambit.

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