A gunman opened fire at a Michigan splash park on Saturday, authorities said, wounding nine people, including two children, one of whom is in critical condition, in a random attack.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office deputies identified the suspect as Michael William Nash, 42. He was later found deceased at a nearby residence, police said.
According to authorities, the shooting happened at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, Michigan. Officers were called to the scene just after 5 p.m.
“This appears to be a random shooter,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a news conference.
“It appears this individual parked his vehicle, got out, approached the splash pad, fired a gun, loaded a gun, fired a gun, loaded a gun and left,” he said.
Images posted on social media showed a swarm of police and emergency personnel surrounding the park, with officers assisting a person lying on the wet ground of the splash pad, a children’s play area fitted with nozzles that spray water, and moving bystanders away.
Among the wounded were an 8-year-old boy who was shot in the head and a 39-year-old woman who was shot in the abdomen and leg, Sheriff Bouchard said at a press conference Saturday night. Both were in critical condition. The two, along with a 4-year-old boy who was shot in the thigh, were from the same family, Sheriff Bouchard said.
The remaining victims, including the couple, are all in stable condition, he said.
According to the sheriff, a Glock 9mm handgun and three empty magazines were recovered at the scene, and the gunman fired 28 rounds.
Using a handgun and other evidence, police tracked the man to a home near Shelby Township, Sheriff Bouchard said. They tried to make contact with him but were unsuccessful, and eventually entered the home where they found the man deceased inside.
The sheriff said he found what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle on the kitchen table, suggesting “there may have been something else there, possibly a second round.”
The sheriff said the suspect was believed to have lived with his mother, who was not home at the time, and that he had apparent mental illness but had no prior contact with police.
Rochester Hills is located about 25 miles north of Detroit and is home to approximately 76,000 people.
