Michigan police release details on shooting spree that left six dead

Police in Michigan have released new details about a shooting spree that left six people dead, including the suspected shooter.

A teenage boy and four adults were killed Friday in shootings that sparked an urgent manhunt for the gunman, whose body was found in a wooded area alongside one of his victims. A teen girl survived the massacre and was in stable condition.

Officers responded Friday morning to reports of a shooting at a home about 170 miles (270 kilometers) northwest of Detroit, where they found the bodies of a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and 40-year-old woman, and a 13-year-old girl in critical condition, Michigan State Police said.

Authorities say the suspect, Chad Hickman, fled that scene, sparking a large-scale search. Police found the body of a 53-year-old man at a second home, and then a 29-year-old woman, dead alongside Hickman, in the woods.

All the victims died of gunshot wounds, police said. Their names haven’t yet been released, nor has a motive in the killings.

“This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” Lt. Ashley Miller said in a Friday statement. Miller said Saturday the investigation is ongoing.

Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse, according to court records. He was sentenced to one year in jail. In the same case, the court dismissed felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday she was monitoring the situation. “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community,” she said.