Missaukee County Community Reeling After Six Die in Multi-Scene Shooting
MISSAUKEE COUNTY, Mich. — A devastating series of shootings across Missaukee County has left six people dead, including the suspected gunman, and another person critically injured, according to Michigan State Police.
Authorities say the investigation began after a 911 call reporting that someone had been shot at a residence on LaChance Road. Troopers were dispatched to the area at approximately 11:40 a.m. Friday, where they discovered three people dead and another person suffering from critical injuries.
Investigators subsequently identified additional scenes connected to the violence, including a wooded area near Whitlock Lake and a separate residence. Another deceased person was found at each of those locations, bringing the total number of fatalities to six, including the suspect.
Police identified 39-year-old Chad Hickman as the suspect in the shootings. Authorities initially warned that Hickman was considered armed and dangerous and asked members of the public not to approach him. Later Friday, police said Hickman had been located.
According to police, Hickman was subsequently found dead. Investigators are working to establish a complete timeline and determine what led to the shootings.
Michigan State Police Public Information Officer Lt. Ashley Miller described the situation as extremely difficult for investigators, first responders and the community.
The investigation involves multiple locations, requiring law-enforcement personnel to carefully examine each scene and determine how the events were connected.
Family Members Among Those Killed
Information provided to authorities and circulating in the community indicates that several of the victims were known to Hickman, including members of his family and people in the surrounding community.
However, police have not yet publicly released a complete list of the victims or confirmed every reported relationship. The identities of those killed should therefore be treated with caution until authorities or their families formally release them.
One person survived the violence but remains in critical condition, according to state police.
The circumstances surrounding that person’s injuries have not been fully disclosed.
A Community Shaken
The violence has sent shockwaves through Missaukee County, where residents are now confronting the loss of multiple people in a single devastating series of events.
Lt. Miller emphasized that the tragedy is difficult not only for law enforcement but also for residents who are now grieving friends, relatives and neighbors.
“This type of loss is tragic,” Miller said, according to local reports, adding that investigators would conduct a thorough investigation and keep the community informed as more information becomes available.
Despite the extensive law-enforcement response, authorities said there was no longer a threat to the public. Police also continued routine patrols and responded to calls for service while investigators worked at the multiple crime scenes.
Remembering Those Lost
For the families affected, the tragedy is much more than a police investigation. It is the sudden loss of people who were part of their everyday lives.
When several members of a family or close community are lost at once, grief can become almost impossible to put into words. Parents, siblings, children, relatives, friends and neighbors are left trying to process multiple losses while also confronting the circumstances surrounding them.
The victims deserve to be remembered as people whose lives had meaning beyond the circumstances of their deaths.
For those who knew them, there will be memories of family gatherings, conversations, celebrations, ordinary days and the relationships that shaped their lives.
A Tribute to the Victims
The Missaukee County community is now being called upon to stand together for the families affected by this devastating tragedy.
Every person who lost their life had a story, people who cared about them and a place within a family or community. Those relationships do not disappear because of the violence that ended their lives.
As investigators continue working to understand what happened, loved ones are left with memories that may eventually become a source of comfort amid unimaginable grief.
May those who lost their lives be remembered for who they were—their relationships, their kindness, their memories and the lives they touched—rather than only for the tragedy that took them away.
The surviving victim and everyone affected by the violence remain in the thoughts of a community now facing profound grief.
May the families of those lost find strength and support in one another, and may the injured survivor receive the care and recovery they need.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as Michigan State Police continue piecing together the events across the multiple scenes.
