Five victims and the suspected gunman died across three locations in Missaukee County, while a 13-year-old girl survived.
MISSAUKEE COUNTY, MI — Five people and a suspected gunman were killed Friday in a series of shootings across three locations in northern Michigan, prompting a large police search before authorities found the suspect dead in a wooded area, Michigan State Police said.
A 13-year-old girl who was wounded in the shootings survived and was in stable condition Saturday, according to state police. Investigators identified the suspected gunman as 39-year-old Chad Hickman. Police had not announced a motive or publicly explained the relationships among Hickman and the victims as the investigation continued.
Troopers responded Friday morning to a report of a shooting at a home in Lake Township in Missaukee County, about 170 miles northwest of Detroit. At that location, police found a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman dead. The 13-year-old girl was critically injured and taken to a hospital.
Police said Hickman left the first location before troopers arrived, setting off a large-scale search involving multiple law enforcement resources. Authorities warned during the search that he was considered armed and dangerous. Investigators later found a 53-year-old man dead at a second home as officers continued looking for Hickman.
The search eventually led police to Hickman’s vehicle near Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township. Troopers then found Hickman and a 29-year-old woman dead in a wooded area nearby. State police said all five victims died from gunshot wounds. Authorities have not released a detailed account of what happened immediately before Hickman’s death.
The deaths were spread across three scenes, creating a complex investigation for authorities trying to establish the sequence of events and determine what led to the shootings. Police spent Friday processing evidence at the locations while officers searched the surrounding area. By Saturday, authorities said the active threat had ended but the investigation remained open.
Lt. Ashley Miller of the Michigan State Police described the situation as heartbreaking for the community and difficult for investigators. Police said they remained committed to a thorough investigation and would release additional information as it became available.
Court records cited by news organizations show Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse. He was sentenced to jail in that case. Felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges filed in the same case were dismissed. Those records do not establish a motive for Friday’s shootings, and police have not said whether Hickman’s previous case had any connection to the deaths.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Friday that she had been briefed and was monitoring the situation. She expressed sympathy for the victims, their families and the Missaukee County community. Authorities had not publicly released the victims’ names in their latest statewide update, although they provided their ages and genders.
Investigators were continuing Saturday to determine the circumstances surrounding the shootings, including the connections among the people involved and the events that led from the first home to the later scenes. Police had not announced a motive, and no additional suspects were being publicly sought in connection with the killings.
Author note: Last updated August 15, 2026.