A warning system could have made the difference between life and death, that's what family members of the father and son killed in the Kalamazoo shootings told lawmakers on Tuesday.
They were there as lawmakers unanimously voted to pass a set of bills out of committee that would create a public threat alert system.
"If this would have been in place on the night of February 20th, my husband and son, my daughter's daddy and brother would still be here today," Laurie Smith told lawmakers.
Richard and Tyler Smith had no warning when a gunman walked up behind them and fired. The Smiths were out shopping for cars when they were gunned down by Jason Dalton, who police say admitted to killing six people that night.
Laurie Smith says a public threat alert system might have saved her them.
"My purpose is that my husband and my son did not die in vain," Smith said. "If we can save anyone else's life then that is why I'm here."
The bills would create a warning system similar to an Amber Alert.
In situations where local and state police decide there's enough of a public threat they could send alerts to broadcast, radio and cell phones.
State police say the alert system would only be used for situations deemed to be a major public threat. Unlike an Amber Alert this warning could be targeted so it only gets sent to people in affected areas.
"I know that my husband, maybe not my son because he thought he was invincible, my husband definitely would have paid attention to it," Laurie Smith said. "They would have gotten in the car quicker and been on their way and potentially out of harm's way."
Lawmakers behind the bills originally focused on active shooter situations but later expanded the bills.
"In situations of terrorism or anything that the Michigan State Police deem necessary to notify folks that there's an eminent and immediate threat in the area," explained Rep. Brandt Iden,(R-Oshtemo). "I wanted to just give them the tools necessary to do that."
The system would use technology that state police already have so lawmakers aren't asking for additional funds, it will all come out of MSP's existing budget.
It's the legacy 19-year-old Emily Smith says her father and brother would have wanted, even though it can't take back what happened.
"The drive up here realizing that this was what we had left," she explained. "Knowing that this is the only thing that we can do to help and the only way that we can honor them."
The bills are now on the House floor where lawmakers are expected to vote on them before the end of the month.
