Rochester Hills, Michigan – A tragic incident unfolded at a splash pad in suburban Detroit on Saturday, leaving nine people injured after shots were fired. The suspected gunman, identified as 42-year-old Michael William Nash, also lost his life in the incident, as confirmed by local authorities.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard disclosed that Nash unleashed 28 rounds on families at the splash pad, including children. Despite having no criminal record, Nash was believed to be grappling with mental health challenges, residing with his mother at the time of the shooting.
The aftermath of the shooting saw an 8-year-old boy critically wounded, with a bullet striking his head. Additionally, a 4-year-old boy sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh, but was listed in stable condition. The 39-year-old mother of the two boys, shot in the abdomen, was also critically injured.
Among the other victims were a 39-year-old woman with back and arm wounds, a stable 30-year-old man with a leg injury, a 78-year-old man with an abdomen wound, a 37-year-old woman with a hand injury, a 40-year-old man with a knee wound, and a stable 30-year-old woman.
In a sobering statement, Sheriff Bouchard expressed shock at the tragic turn of events, highlighting the random nature of the shooting. The shooter, armed with a 9mm Glock semiautomatic handgun, reportedly reloaded multiple times during the incident, firing up to 28 rounds before ultimately being contained at a nearby residence.
As authorities continued to piece together the events of the shooting, the community grappled with the aftermath, with local officials and representatives expressing solidarity and support for the affected families. The incident, occurring on the heels of a recent school shooting, served as a painful reminder of the enduring impact of gun violence in the community.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office maintained a heightened presence at the active crime scene, urging the public to avoid the area as investigations unfolded. The motive behind the shooting remained unclear, leaving many unanswered questions in its wake as Rochester Hills, located 27 miles north of downtown Detroit, navigated through the aftermath of the tragic incident.