Michigan shooting leaves six dead; wounded 13-year-old called 911 herself

A shooting spree across three locations in Missaukee county, Michigan, left five people dead, with the suspected shooter later found dead in a wooded area during a police search. A 13-year-old girl, shot four times, was taken to hospital in critical condition but had stabilized by Saturday.

State police spokesperson Lt Ashley Miller said the girl called 911 herself to report she had been shot. The suspected gunman had fled the scene before officers arrived, but investigators said they were able to identify him almost immediately, though Miller did not detail how.

The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Chad Hickman, alleged to have killed five people. He was later found dead next to one of the victims in the woods after police launched a manhunt. Investigators said it was not yet clear whether Hickman died by suicide, with an autopsy still pending. All victims died of gunshot wounds.

Police had not released victims' names as of Saturday, but a relative identified two of them on social media as 40-year-old Amanda Everitt and her 16-year-old son, Eric. Amanda's father, David Everitt, wrote that the family had lost two loved ones while a third was fighting for her life, calling his granddaughter — who managed to call 911 and identify the shooter despite being shot four times — a hero.

At the first scene, police found the bodies of a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, along with the critically injured girl. A 53-year-old victim was found at a second home, while a 29-year-old woman and Hickman were found dead together in the woods.

Court records show Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor child abuse following a complaint from his ex-wife, filed during their divorce proceedings. Police said the shooting has devastated the local community, which is seeking answers about why it happened.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the US has recorded at least 15 mass murders so far this year.