Eleven firearms found in suspect’s home
Suspect dead after mass shooting at water playground in Michigan
At least nine people, including a four-year-old, were shot at a paddling pool in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Police say the shooting was random.
Fox – 32 Chicago
Police seized at least eleven weapons from the home of a suspected gunman who opened fire at a water playground outside Detroit over the weekend, injuring nine people. The population is shocked.
The gunman, who fired 36 shots, may have brought two handguns to the scene and left a 9mm Glock behind as he fled, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
Police believe the suspect committed suicide with the other gun while at the home he lived in with his mother. His mother was out of state at the time of the shooting.
Some of the victims, including an 8-year-old boy, were in critical condition, the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported Sunday.
“I don’t think this incident will define our community, but I do think our response to it will,” Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
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Who was the suspect?
Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial 988 or text to contact someone with the suicide and crisis hotline. They are available 24 hours a day and offer services in several languages.
Nash had no connection to the victims and Bouchard described the shooting as “very random” and “bizarre.”
The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Michael William Nash. He had no criminal history and lived with his mother. Police believe he had mental health issues.
Family members said the suspect was walking around the house armed and telling people to turn off their phones, and that he was being “persecuted by the government,” Bouchard said.
Bouchard added that there is still no information on whether the suspect’s mental health issues were brought to the attention of officers before Saturday’s shooting.
After the shooting, Nash was traced to a residence in Shelby Township. SWAT teams surrounded the house and attempted to make contact with Nash, but the suspect committed suicide inside the home, Rochester police said on Facebook.
The suspect’s phone was confiscated. However, police were unable to find any clues as to a motive and investigators are still investigating.
Who are the victims?
According to the Detroit Free Press, the following victims were still in critical condition on Monday:
- Boy, 8, in critical condition: Suffered a gunshot wound to the head
- Woman, 39, in critical condition: gunshot wounds to the abdomen and thigh
The boy, whose condition is critical, “has made amazing progress,” Bouchard said. who saw the victim on Sunday, noted, however, that “there are still many challenges ahead of us.”
Eric and Micayla Coughlin, a couple from Rochester, were shot a total of seven times while protecting their daughters, ages 2 and 7 months. Thanks to the efforts of their parents, the girls were protected during the shooting and were able to go home that same evening, according to a GoFundMe campaign created by a friend of the couple and confirmed by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Two victims, a 37-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, have already been released from the hospital, and another 39-year-old woman is expected to be released later today, Bouchard said.
There were originally believed to be eight victims, but after calling local hospitals, police found the last victim and increased the death toll to nine, the sheriff’s office said in an email to USA TODAY.
Fraud in fundraising campaigns
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office warned the public about setting up fraudulent GoFundMe pages claiming they would raise money for victims.
“The scavengers are already at it,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “We will investigate any scams and encourage the public not to make donations to anything or anyone on behalf of the victims unless the sheriff’s office confirms it is legitimate.”
A GoFundMe campaign claimed to be raising money to help a victim, his pregnant wife and children. But neither the man nor his family are victims, according to a sheriff’s press release. More than $15,000 has been raised online.
The fundraiser has been removed from the platform and all donors have been refunded, a GoFundMe spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email.
“I encourage anyone wishing to donate to first check with the sheriff’s office,” Bouchard said in a statement. “If there are legitimate websites, we will let the public know.”
What happened?
At around 5 p.m. on Saturday, a gunman fired 28 shots at families spending the warm summer day at the water playground in Rochester Hills, a city about 30 miles north of downtown Detroit.
The splash pad, an open area with various sprinklers where children can play, was closed Monday and will remain closed until further notice, the city said.
Go forward
Rochester Hills will provide psychological support to the victims and families affected by the shooting, according to a statement on the organization’s website.
“To support the recovery process, (Oakland Community Health Network) has opened a family support center at the Rochester Hills Department of Public Services, 511 E. Auburn Road, where counselors are available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.,” it said. “An appointment is not necessary.”
Affected families who are unable to make it to the center may access the service by calling 800-848-5533 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
“People may also contact the Michigan Crisis and Access Line by dialing 988, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or OCHN’s Non-Emergency Mental Health Division at 248-464-6363, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday,” the city explains.
Contributor: Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press staff
Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered a variety of topics, from local business and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And Tick Tock: @juliamariegz
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