A tragic series of shootings resulted in the deaths of a teenage boy and four adults on Friday, leading to an extensive search for the gunman. The search concluded when authorities discovered the suspected shooter’s body in a wooded area alongside one of the victims. A teenage girl survived the incident and is in stable condition, according to police reports.
The suspect, Chad Hickman, aged 39, was found deceased following a wide-scale search in Missaukee County. Police provided the ages and genders of the victims but did not clarify their relationships to Hickman. Responding to reports of a shooting at a residence approximately 170 miles northwest of Detroit, officers discovered four victims. These included a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman who were deceased, and a 13-year-old girl in critical condition, officials from the Michigan State Police stated.
Authorities reported that Hickman fled this initial scene, triggering an intensive search operation. Subsequently, police located a 53-year-old man’s body at a separate residence and later found a deceased 29-year-old woman alongside Hickman in the forested area. All victims suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
Lt. Ashley Miller expressed the profound impact this event has had on the community and the challenges faced by investigators. “This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” she said in a statement on Friday. The investigation remains active as of Saturday.
Hickman’s criminal history includes a 2024 misdemeanor conviction for fourth-degree child abuse, resulting in a one-year jail sentence. The same case saw the dismissal of charges for felony assault and criminal sexual conduct, per court documents.
Neighbor Tim Penrose mentioned that Hickman resided at the address where the 53-year-old victim was found. Penrose heard gunshots but initially dismissed them due to the rural nature of the area, where such sounds are not unusual. The neighbor noted that Hickman frequently harassed him and his wife, though he declined to divulge further details.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer expressed concern for those affected by the tragedy, stating, “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community.”
This report includes contributions from Hallie Golden of the Associated Press. GaNun, a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, also contributed to this coverage. Report for America is a nonprofit service program placing journalists in local newsrooms to focus on underreported issues.