Michigan Shootings Leave Six Dead, Including Suspect; Teen Girl Survives
Six people died in shootings across two homes and a wooded area in Michigan; the suspect, Chad Hickman, was found dead. A teenage girl survived.
A shooting rampage in rural Michigan on Friday left six people dead, including the suspected gunman, and a 13-year-old girl in stable condition, authorities said.
The suspect, 39-year-old Chad Hickman, was found dead in a wooded area in Missaukee County after a large-scale search, according to Michigan State Police. His body was discovered alongside that of a 29-year-old woman, both dead from gunshot wounds.
The violence began Friday morning when officers responded to a report of a shooting at a home about 170 miles northwest of Detroit. There, they found the bodies of a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man, and a 40-year-old woman, along with the critically injured teenage girl. Police later found the body of a 53-year-old man at a second home.
Authorities have not said whether the victims were related to each other or to Hickman. All died of gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing, said Lt. Ashley Miller, who described the situation as "heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved."
Court records show Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and sentenced to one year in jail. Felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges in the same case were dismissed.
A neighbor, Tim Penrose, said Hickman lived in the home where the 53-year-old man was found. Penrose said he heard gunshots but didn't think much of it because gunfire is common in the rural area. He added that Hickman had frequently harassed him and his wife.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she was monitoring the situation, offering thoughts for the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community.