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Michigan To Get Amber Alert-like System For Active Shootings, Threats

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan will create an Amber Alert-like system to quickly warn people of mass shootings, terrorist attacks and other nearby "public threats."

Legislation signed Friday by Gov. Rick Snyder was spurred by the random fatal shootings of six people in the Kalamazoo area in February.

Following the tragedy, the governor says many Kalamazoo residents called for a warning system to inform the public of dangerous situations.

"Leveraging current technology to quickly warn Michiganders of imminent threats will be valuable for preventing greater harm during dangerous incidents and senseless acts of violence," Snyder said, in a media release.

The governor says existing technology will help disseminate emergency information to television and radio stations, cellphones and other wireless devices.

The measures also create criminal penalties for making a false report of a public threat and require offenders to reimburse governments for the cost of responding to false reports.

Michigan State Police spokeswoman Shanon Banner says the agency plans to create guidelines for issuing public threat alerts before the laws take effect in 90 days.

Meantime, Uber driver Jason Dalton, charged with killing six strangers in between picking up riders for Uber, is expected to use insanity as a defense. At total of eight people were shot in three locations near Kalamazoo.

Police say Dalton claimed a "devil figure" in the Uber app was controlling him.

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

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