The man charged with shooting eight people in the Kalamazoo area, killing six of them in February is competent to stand trial, reports WOOD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Grand Rapids.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit and chains, Jason Dalton appeared in court Friday morning.
Accepting the recommendation from Dalton's psychological exam, a Michigan judge made the ruling. However, under Michigan law, his defense counsel is still allowed to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Dalton who is currently facing 16 criminal counts as a result of multiple shooting incidents, told psychologists that "it almost seemed like my phone could control me."
As previously reported by TODAY's TMJ4, Dalton allegedly chose victims at random. He allegedly shot people in the parking lots of a western Michigan apartment complex, car dealership, and restaurant during a rampage and subsequent manhunt that spanned nearly seven hours, authorities said.
Dalton holds a degree in law enforcement and criminal justice and took steps towards becoming a police officer, but ultimately never finished.
Video courtesy of WOOD-TV
