Kalamazoo remembers mass shooting
KALAMAZOO - A year later, people gathered with ribbons, candles and memories to shine lights on the victims who were killed by the darkness.
About 400 people attended a vigil Monday in the Wings Event Center to remember and honor the victims of the Kalamazoo mass shooting on Feb. 20, 2016.
“What began as a dark evening,” Pastor Paul Fazio told the audience, “over the last year the darkness has begun to break because of the light of the victims. They may be gone but their hearts beat.”
The 90-minute program included words from family members of some of the victims as well as community and law enforcement officials.
The ForeverStrong Memorial Foundation also announced plans to construct a complex to honor the victims and include soccer fields, playgrounds and a memorial for each of the victims. A portion of the memorial will also be in Battle Creek. Plans were unveiled for the first time for a project that may take years to complete.
Six people were killed, three — Barbara Hawthorne, 68, Mary Jo Nye, 60, and Judy Brown, 74 — were from Battle Creek and two people were injured, one — Abigail Kopf, now 15 — also was from Battle Creek.
Besides the four Battle Creek victims, Mary Lou Nye, 60, of Baroda, and Richard Smith, 53, and his son, Tyler, 17, of Mattawan, were killed and Tiana Carruthers, 26, of Richland Township, was injured.
Jason Dalton, 46, of Kalamazoo, is charged with six counts of first-degree murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder and eight counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Dalton's attorney, Eusebio Solis, has notified the court he plans to pursue an insanity defense and a hearing is scheduled in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court when Solis is expected to challenge introduction of statements Dalton made to police after his arrest.
Police have said Dalton told them a devil figure on his Uber app was controlling him.
Dalton’s name was never mentioned from the podium. Instead the program not only remembered the victims and the night a year ago but also what happened in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek since that night.
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“We cry our hearts out thinking about the victims,” said U.S. Rep. Fred Upton. “We are not going to forget them, we are going to walk with a better step.”
Family members, like Jeff Reynolds, one of the sons of Judy Brown, thanked the first responders and the support from both Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.
“It is you people who made me proud to call Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Michigan my hometown and my home state.”
He remembers his mother as a vibrant woman, always ready with a hug and a smile and caring word.
“She would never want this much attention but sorry, Mom, but it is time to honor you and the other victims and families.”
Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell told the family members and the audience, “we stand with you today, tomorrow and every day. We are with you.”
Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said the city won’t be defined by what happened but rather what happened after.
“This community I known as Kalamazoo strong, a caring and compassionate people.”
Shelly Hawthorne, a niece of Barbara Hawthorne, said she misses her aunt every day.
“We want you to know she was much more than someone killed that night,” she said. “It us up to us to keep her legacy and the other victims’ memories alive.”
Laurie Smith, the wife and mother of two victims, said her family now includes people she does not know.
“Without family I don’t know what I would do. But there are people I don’t even know; you are my family.
“We shall all be forever strong,” she said, as the center stood and applauded.
Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson