Mass Murder Rampage Leaves Police Stunned

Six people were killed and a seventh was wounded across three scenes in rural Michigan on Friday, with the suspect among the dead.

Story Snapshot

Michigan State Police reported six dead and one wounded across three locations.
Troopers responded around 11:40 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman.
Officials said there was no ongoing threat to the public.

What Police Found, When They Found It

Michigan State Police said the first 911 call came just before midday Friday. Troopers arrived at a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township around 11:40 a.m. They found three people dead and one person in critical condition. Investigators soon located another person dead at a second home in Missaukee County.

A wider search led them to a wooded area near Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township. There, they found suspect Chad Hickman and another deceased person, bringing the total deaths to six.

Police publicly identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman. Authorities said he fled the first scene before troopers arrived. The search spanned roads, homes, and wooded terrain. It ended when officers found Hickman dead near Whitlock Lake.

Outlets reported he was believed to have died by suicide, but officials have not released a coroner’s ruling. The Michigan State Police said the investigation remained active across all three scenes as evidence teams worked.

Who Was Hurt, And Who They Are Telling Us About

One survivor, a 13-year-old girl, called 911 after she was shot. Reports named her as Bella Everett and said she was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police and local coverage consistently placed her at the first scene along South LaChance Road.

Officials did not release full victim lists pending family notifications. Local reporting referenced other members of the Everett family, but police had not published a complete roster of victims or ages as of the initial updates.

Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived @WashTimes https://t.co/21bKfCyRp0

— Washington Times Local (@WashTimesLocal) August 15, 2026

Michigan State Police told the public there was no ongoing threat once the search ended. That message matters in a small county where families rely on clear guidance from law enforcement. It reduces panic while investigators sort out details like motive and relationships.

Police said they were working to piece together links among the victims and the suspect. That work often takes longer than the initial response, especially with multiple scenes and a wide search area.

Where It Happened, And Why It Confused The Map

The case unfolded across three locations in Missaukee County. The first was a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township. The second was another home in the county, which police connected to the same incident. The third was a wooded area near Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township.

Multi-scene events like this strain small agencies and can fog early accounts. Even so, the sequence reported by police and multiple outlets stayed aligned through the afternoon and evening.

🚨Brave young lady🚨

13 year old girl survives being shot 4 times in a Michigan shooting, then helps ID the gunman.

Brave girl managed to call 911 and describe the shooter and his vehicle, helping to identify the man who killed members of her family in a rural Missaukee County… pic.twitter.com/uoQqGz1l9U

— Gina Beana Fofina (@Ginasassyass) August 17, 2026

News organizations focused on the core timeline, the search, and the public-safety message. That is standard in mass shooting coverage, which often centers official updates before moving to deeper profiles and policy talk.

Research on media patterns shows higher attention when children are involved and when victim counts are high, both of which applied here. Rural settings also draw notice because they seem rare, even though smaller towns and counties face steady gun violence, too.

What Authorities Are Still Working To Answer

Investigators continued to examine motive, relationships among the dead, and how the scenes linked. Forensic answers will come from ballistics, autopsies, and trace work. That process confirms which shots were fired where, what weapons were used, and in what order events unfolded.

The public saw the most vital facts first: who was killed, who survived, that the suspect was located, and that there was no wider threat. Detailed findings often follow days or weeks later in official releases.

Why This Hits Hard In A Small County

Missaukee County is rural and close-knit. Six deaths in one day strikes like a storm. People here hunt, fish, and trust their neighbors. A fast police message that the threat had ended gave families room to breathe.

The 13-year-old’s call showed grit under fire and likely saved time for responders. Communities heal faster when facts are clear, rumors are few, and authorities speak plainly. That is what Michigan State Police aimed to do from the first hour.