ROCHESTER HILLS, Michigan — Nine people were injured, including two young children and their mother, when a man opened fire Saturday at a water recreation area in a Detroit suburb where families were trying to beat the summer heat.
Security forces tracked the suspect to a home, where he shot himself to death, authorities said.
An 8-year-old boy was shot in the head and was in critical condition Saturday night, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said. His mother was also in critical condition from injuries she suffered in the shooting. abdomen and leg, and his 4-year-old brother had a leg injury and was stable.
At least two of the victims were children, said authorities, who initially said they believed up to 10 people had suffered gunshot wounds in the incident in Rochester Hills, but the number was later reduced after consulting with hospitals in the area. area.
Authorities initially said they believed the shooting in Rochester Hills had left at least 10 gunshot wounds, but the number was revised downwards after checks at area hospitals.
The other six victims, all over 30 years old, were stable, Bouchard said. Among them was a couple and a 78-year-old man.
The shooting occurred shortly after 5 p.m. at a park that has a recreational area with a non-slip surface where people can turn on sprinklers and water fountains to play. Bouchard indicated that the attack appeared to be random, given that the attacker drove to the park, walked to that area and fired up to 28 shots, stopping several times to reload his gun.
At least one witness said that the attacker appeared to use two guns during the shooting, but the information has not been confirmed, the police chief added.
The first officers to arrive at the scene of the shooting, just two minutes after receiving the call, began providing first aid, including tourniquets, Bouchard said. In addition, they quickly found a probable address and a car that matched that of the suspect was at the house.
Officers surrounded the house and tried to contact the suspect without success, he added. They then sent a drone inside the house and, upon entering, found the man dead. Another weapon was found inside the house.
The suspect did not live in Rochester Hills and investigators do not yet know why he went to that area of the park, Bouchard said.
Authorities did not release the name of the shooter, but the police chief described him as a 42-year-old white man and said he is believed to have lived with his mother, who was notified. His motives were immediately unknown.
A pistol, three empty magazines and 28 spent shell casings were found in the attack area. At the home, agents recovered a semi-automatic rifle and another pistol believed to have been the one used by the suspect to take his own life, Bouchard explained.
Police cordoned off the scene of the shooting with duct tape and dozens of yellow evidence markers lay on the ground among colorful folding chairs.
Rochester Hills is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Oxford, where a 15-year-old boy shot and killed four high school students in 2021.
Source: AP
