Teen boy among 6 dead, including suspect, in Michigan shootings; girl survives

Five people, including a 16-year-old boy, were killed in a series of shootings in Michigan on Friday, prompting a massive search for the suspected gunman, whose body was later found in a wooded area alongside one of his victims, authorities said.

Michigan State Police said officers responding to a shooting at a home in Missaukee County, about 170 miles northwest of Detroit, found a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman dead. A 13-year-old girl was found critically injured and later listed in stable condition.

Authorities identified the suspected shooter as 39-year-old Chad Hickman. Police said he fled the initial scene, triggering a large-scale search. Investigators later found a 53-year-old man dead at a second home and a 29-year-old woman dead in a nearby wooded area alongside Hickman. All five victims died from gunshot wounds.

“This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” Lt. Ashley Miller said.

Police have not disclosed whether Hickman and the victims were related.

Court records show Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and sentenced to one year in jail. Felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges in the same case were dismissed.

Tim Penrose, who lives near the second shooting scene, said Hickman lived at the home where the 53-year-old man was found. Penrose said he heard gunshots but initially did not think much of them because gunfire is not unusual in the rural area. He also said Hickman had frequently harassed him and his wife.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was monitoring the situation and expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the Missaukee County community. The investigation remains ongoing.