KALAMAZOO, MI -- An advocate of preventing gun violence in Michigan said her organization is "saddened and outraged" by a mass shooting spree in Kalamazoo County that left six people dead and two critically wounded.

She and others called on lawmakers to do something to stop gun violence.

"Kalamazoo is a beautiful, beloved city in Michigan. People in America must be able to shop for cars, dine and enjoy their city on a balmy Saturday night without fearing the worst," said Linda Brundage, executive director of the Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence.

She called the gunman moving from one location to the next, shooting and killing people along the way on Saturday, Feb. 20, "every community's greatest fear and nightmare."

Related: Complete coverage of Kalamazoo mass shootings

Linda Brundage

Brundage urged citizens to demand that lawmakers keep guns out of "dangerous hands."

"Too often, the response from our lawmakers is simply to provide thoughts and prayers," Brundage said. "While we do pray for these innocents, we must also honor their lives with additional action."

Current gun laws in Michigan aren't sufficient to stop horrific events, she said.

"People of Michigan should ask themselves -- when are lawmakers going to do something about the reckless availability of firearms in our communities?" Brundage said. "Why aren't there better safeguards to protect our families and our rights? Why do lawmakers continue to pander to the profit seeking motives of the gun lobby and gun manufacturers?"

Kalamazoo County resident Marti Ulmer, volunteer with the Michigan Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, also encouraged citizens to demand lawmakers keep their communities safe.

"We don't expect this type of violence to happen here in Kalamazoo, but the truth is that gun violence is affecting communities across the country every day," she said in a prepared statement. "It does not have to be like this. We need to come together as a community to heal and take action.

"We must demand our Michigan lawmakers do more to keep our communities safe. I encourage other Kalamazoo residents who are angered by what happened last night to get involved -- we all can do more to reduce gun violence."

Gov. Rick Snyder ordered flags be flown at half staff for six days beginning Monday, Feb. 22, "as a mark of respect" for the six victims.

Police said Jason Brian Dalton's shooting spree began at about 6 p.m. Saturday when he shot a woman multiple times in Richland Township. She is expected to survive.

Four hours later, Dalton, an Uber driver, shot Tyler Smith, a 17-year-old Mattawan High School senior, and his father, Rich, in the parking lot of Seelye Automotive on Stadium Drive, police said.

The gunman then shot four women and a 14-year-old girl in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel restaurant on South Ninth Street at I-94.

The two men shot at Seelye Automotive and the four women shot at the Cracker Barrel restaurant were killed. The 14-year-old girl was clinging to life Sunday at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.

Police have said it appears Dalton picked his victims at random and the shootings were unprovoked.

Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting Kalamazoo police to learn more about the gun, a semi-automatic handgun, they suspect was used in the killings.

Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley said ATF agents are helping investigators from his agency, Michigan State Police and the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office pinpoint the origin and the history of the alleged murder weapon.

Brad Devereaux is a reporter at MLive.com. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.