Kalamazoo, state police still seek a motive in bus shooting, release video
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with Michigan State Police, have released security, and body camera footage of the shooting that took place two days after Thanksgiving at a Kalamazoo bus station.
The motive of the shooter at the bus station who injured three people was unknown, according to Michigan State Police investigators at a Wednesday morning press conference.
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The video showed victims who were trying to run away from the shooter.
“He was on my bus shooting at him. Call the ambulance, he's coming back, he's coming back, he's coming back,” screamed one passenger.
That is when Kalamazoo police arrived on the scene, about two minutes after the first 911 call.
Anthony Oliver, 54, the suspected shooter, was shot and killed by an officer over the holiday weekend.
"Shots fired, shots fired, we have one down,” shouts one officer shown in the body cam footage.
News Channel 3 warns any viewer that this video is graphic and may be found disturbing to some:
Investigators said the shooter wanted to end his own life in a suicide-by-cop scenario back in 2018 and made a statement wanting to do so.
Police said after that threat in 2018, the shooter was then admitted to a psychiatric hospital, evaluated, then released three years ago.
Investigators also could not confirm if he got the gun legally.
"We have tracked down and spoken with the last registered of the gun,” Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Shane Criger said. “The last information is that the gun changed three times between the last registered owner of the gun and this incident.”
Police say that it took Kalamazoo officers about two minutes to show up from the first 911 call.
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"I want to give a big thanks to the men and women of KDPS who responded that morning to gunfire," Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley said.
The family of Oliver said he was seeking help for mental health issues.
His nephew said he had just given him a ride to the hospital and refilled his prescriptions.
Investigators said dug up a criminal past after the shooting.
"The suspect did have an extensive criminal history which includes assault and armed robbery of a police officer in the past," said Criger.
An emotional Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson spoke Wednesday.
Anderson said as Kalamazoo's mayor the community and public safety would not forget this moment.
"This didn't happen to just someone. It happened to us," he said.
Police said they have found who the gun was registered to and said the person was not involved in the shooting.
