A series of shootings in rural Missaukee County Michigan left six people dead including the suspected gunman and one teenage girl injured on Friday August 14 2026 according to Michigan State Police. Authorities identified the suspect as 39 year old Chad Hickman of the Lake City area. A teenage boy and four adults died while a 13 year old girl survived after being shot and remains in stable condition in a hospital.

Troopers responded around 11:40 a.m. to a report of a shooting at a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township roughly 170 miles northwest of Detroit. There they found three people dead a 45 year old man a 40 year old woman and a 16 year old boy. The 13 year old girl at the scene had been shot and was taken to a hospital in critical condition. She later improved to stable status.

Family members identified the woman as Amanda Everitt and the teenage boy as her son Eric. The surviving girl known as Bella managed to call 911 despite her injuries and help identify the suspect according to relatives. Hickman fled the first scene before officers arrived prompting a large scale search involving emergency response aviation and canine units. During the manhunt investigators discovered a fourth victim a 53 year old man dead at a separate home in Missaukee County.

Officers later located Hickman’s vehicle near a wooded area by Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township. There they found Hickman and a 29 year old woman both dead. All victims suffered gunshot wounds. Officials have not released full names of all victims pending further notifications and have not confirmed relationships among them or to the suspect beyond the family identifications shared publicly.

Michigan State Police described the incident as heartbreaking for the community and challenging for investigators. They processed three crime scenes overnight and continue seeking a possible motive. No ongoing threat to the public was reported once Hickman was located. Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she had been briefed and expressed thoughts for the victims families and the Missaukee community.

Missaukee County is a sparsely populated rural area with about 15 200 residents known for its woods and lakes roughly 120 miles north of Grand Rapids. The shootings shook the quiet towns of Lake Township Jennings and surrounding areas. Neighbors and residents gathered for prayer sessions and support in the days that followed including an open prayer event at Jennings Community Church on Sunday. Community members spoke of the difficulty finding closure noting the suspect could not face justice.

Friends and family established funds to assist with funeral costs medical bills and future needs for the surviving girl. Investigators have worked to determine any connections between the victims and the sequence of events across the three locations. Preliminary information indicates Hickman acted alone. Lake City Area Schools mourned the loss of a student among the dead.

Details about prior interactions or any history involving Hickman remain under review as the probe continues. The survivor’s actions in contacting authorities despite serious injuries have been praised by family as heroic. She was shot multiple times yet provided key information that aided the rapid identification of the suspect. As of the latest updates she continues recovering in stable condition.

Officials emphasize the investigation remains active with more information expected as autopsies and evidence processing advance. This tragedy marks a profound loss for the tight knit northern Michigan communities where such violence is rare. Residents have turned to one another for comfort while awaiting further clarity from law enforcement. Michigan State Police urge anyone with information to come forward as they piece together the full picture of what unfolded that Friday morning.

The focus now rests on supporting the families affected and allowing the community space to grieve and heal.