Detroit shooting: At least nine wounded in Detroit suburb Rochester Hills, suspect dies by suicide

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (AP) — 9 individuals had been injured, together with two younger kids and their mom, after a shooter opened fireplace at a splash pad in a Detroit suburb the place households gathered to flee the summer season warmth Saturday. Police tracked the shooter to a house, the place the person apparently shot himself to demise, authorities mentioned.

An 8-year-old boy was shot within the head and in vital situation Saturday night time, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard mentioned throughout a information convention. The boy’s mom additionally was in vital situation after being wounded within the stomach and leg, and his 4-year-old brother was in steady situation with a leg wound.

The opposite six victims, all 30 or older, had been in steady situation, Bouchard mentioned. They included a husband-and-wife couple and a 78-year-old man.

The taking pictures occurred simply after 5 p.m. at a metropolis park that includes a recreation space with a nonslip floor the place individuals can activate sprays and fountains of water to play in. Bouchard mentioned the assault gave the impression to be random, with the shooter driving as much as the park, strolling to the splash pad and firing as many as 28 occasions, stopping a number of occasions to reload.

At the least one witness reported that the shooter appeared to make use of two handguns throughout the assault, however that has not but been confirmed, the sheriff mentioned.

Within the chaos, “individuals had been falling, getting hit, making an attempt to run,” Bouchard mentioned. “Horrible issues that sadly all of us in our regulation enforcement enterprise have seen means an excessive amount of.”

The gunman was “apparently in no rush. Simply calmly walked again to his automotive,” the sheriff mentioned.

Police heard the 911 name reporting the taking pictures because it got here in, Bouchard mentioned, as a result of the company makes use of a service that concurrently sends emergency calls to first responders. An officer was on the scene inside two minutes, he mentioned.

Bouchard mentioned the primary deputies who arrived instantly started offering first assist, together with tourniquets. Authorities discovered a handgun, three empty magazines and no less than 28 spent shell casings on the splash pad.

Investigators used the handgun’s registration info to acquire the suspect’s probably tackle, the sheriff mentioned. When police arrived on the residence they discovered a automotive matching the suspect’s car. Deputies surrounded the house and tried to make contact with the suspect inside, to no avail, Bouchard mentioned. They despatched a drone inside the house after which entered to search out the suspect was useless.

Bouchard mentioned the person died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Deputies found a handgun subsequent to the physique which will have been the second weapon the witness noticed, the sheriff mentioned.

Deputies additionally discovered a semiautomatic rifle mendacity on the kitchen desk, Bouchard mentioned. The short containment of the suspect could have prevented a “second chapter” to the taking pictures, the sheriff mentioned.

The suspect didn’t dwell in Rochester Hills and investigators don’t but know why he went to the splash pad, in line with Bouchard.

Officers didn’t launch the person’s title. Bouchard described him as a 42-year-old man and mentioned officers consider he lived along with his mom. The person’s mom was notified, Bouchard mentioned.

The person had no prior police contacts and no prison historical past, Bouchard mentioned.

“It’s our understanding that he was present process some psychological well being challenges however nobody that we all know of was notified,” the sheriff mentioned. He didn’t elaborate additional on the suspect’s psychological well being historical past.

The sheriff mentioned investigators plan to seek for any writings that the shooter could have left behind in addition to dig into his digital units to piece collectively a motive.

“By way of the ‘why,’ I don’t know,” Bouchard mentioned of the gunman’s motive.

Rochester Hills is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Oxford, the place in 2021 a 15-year-old fatally shot 4 highschool college students.

“I like my group and my coronary heart breaks at this time,” Rochester Mayor Bryan Barnett mentioned. “Once I obtained on scene I began to cry as a result of I do know what a splash pad is meant to be. It’s presupposed to be a spot the place individuals collect, the place households make recollections, the place individuals have enjoyable and revel in a Saturday afternoon, and it wasn’t at this time. It’s a psychological reset and a reminder we dwell in a fragile place with fragile individuals.”

Saturday’s taking pictures got here on the finish of the primary full week of summer season trip for college kids attending Rochester Neighborhood faculties.

Bouchard referred to as it “a intestine punch” for the county.

“We’ve gone by so many tragedies,” the sheriff mentioned. “, we’re not even absolutely comprehending what occurred at Oxford. And, you already know, now we’ve one other full tragedy that we’re coping with.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer mentioned on the social platform X that she was heartbroken to be taught of the taking pictures and was in contact with native officers.