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Police: No history of mental illness, no prescriptions for murder suspect

Posted at 6:22 PM, Feb 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-23 18:23:16-05

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Tuesday, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said murder suspect Jason Dalton, 45, doesn't have a history of mental illness. He also wasn't prescribed any medication, according to Chief Jeff Hadley.

A few hours before the horrific shooting spree on Saturday, police said Dalton visited Southwick's Guns, Ammo, and Gear in Plainwell.

"Sunday morning, when my manager and I were setting up for our CPL class, he pulled up the mugshot on his phone. He showed it to me, and I was like 'holy crap, I just talked to him yesterday," Jonathan Southwick, the store's owner recalled.

Southwick said Dalton visited the store on occasion. That day, he arrived with a friend.

"I went over and said, 'Hey how you doing? I haven't seen you in a while.' He said he was doing good," Southwick said.

He said Dalton seemed "friendly" and "upbeat." The owner recalled Dalton browsing the firearms before heading over to the clothing department and purchasing a tactical jacket.

"[The jacket] has some conceal pockets but mainly for documents. You could put a small pistol in it, and then it's got zippers on the side. If you needed to get to the pistol you could," Southwick illustrated and explained how the jacket is designed.

Witnesses recall Dalton wearing a dark jacket that evening.   The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department said Dalton doesn't have a concealed pistol license.