Six people, including the suspected gunman, were killed and another person was critically wounded in a shooting across multiple locations in Missaukee County, Michigan, on Friday, state police said.
Michigan State Police responded to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township at around 11:40am after receiving reports of gunfire. Officers arriving at the property found three people dead and a fourth suffering from critical injuries. The survivor was taken to hospital.
Police identified the suspected attacker as 39-year-old Chad Hickman, who had left the scene before officers arrived. His disappearance triggered an extensive search involving state police emergency teams, aircraft and canine units.
As the investigation expanded, officers discovered another victim dead at a separate residence. Hickman’s vehicle was later located near a wooded area beside Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township.
Police subsequently found Hickman and another person dead in the area, bringing the overall death toll to six.
Authorities said the immediate danger had passed but officers would continue patrolling the community while investigators examined several crime scenes.
“There is no threat to the public,” Michigan State Police spokesperson Lt. Ashley Miller said, describing the loss of life as particularly difficult for both investigators and the local community.
Police have asked residents to stay away from the affected locations while evidence is collected.
Investigators have not yet established what led to the shootings or a possible motive, and the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation.