The first person hurt when an Uber driver allegedly opened fire on strangers in Kalamazoo, Michigan, said she can't hate the man charged in the rampage and is trying to forgive him.
Tiana Carruthers spoke publicly for the first time Thursday at the Kalamazoo hospital where she was treated after being shot four times in February.
"I, for some reason, do not hate him. I do not hate him at all," Carruthers said of suspected shooter Jason Dalton, adding, "I'm working on forgiving the man who did this to me, but I know it will be a process. Right now I just wonder why. I might never know why."
Six people died in the Feb. 20 shootings. Carruthers and a teenager were wounded. The 25-year-old — who has been wheelchair bound — said she's trying to walk and use her "completely reconstructed" arm.
Carruthers thanked loved ones and community members for their support and attributed her resilience to her strong will and unwavering faith.
"I kept telling myself, 'I'm going to make it home,'" she recalled.
Authorities said Carruthers was at an apartment complex playground with several children when Dalton approached. Sensing trouble, she moved between the car and the children, telling them to run home. Carruthers said it's "what any parent would do."
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Dalton was charged with murder and attempted murder. He allegedly carried out the shootings while driving for Uber and accused the smartphone app of controlling him, authorities said. He was ordered to undergo a mental competency exam.
