Michigan shooter claims he was controlled by the Uber app
Former Uber driver Jason Dalton, the man charged with shooting dead six people in Michigan last month, has blamed the app for his actions.
Police said on Monday that Dalton had claimed that he committed the shootings 20 February because “an artificial presence… feels like it is coming from the phone itself", according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
He claimed that the Uber icon, that is usually red, “had changed to black” on the night of the murder, adding that he “doesn't want to come across as a crazy person.”
He said: "[A] devil figure [appearing through the Uber app] would give you an assignment and it would literally take over your whole body, you don't have to drive at all, the car just goes.”
The suspect is set to under-go a mental competency test following his statements.
The incident sparks a considerable PR issues for the ride-sharing app, with Dalton’s claims dragging up undesirable associations.
Following the shooting almost a month ago, Uber issued a single statement: “We are horrified and heartbroken at the senseless violence in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Our hearts and prayers are with the families of the victims of this devastating crime and those recovering from injuries. We have reached out to the police to help with their investigation in any way that we can.”