Three Scenes, One Day: Carnage

A 39-year-old man’s multi-location shooting spree in rural Michigan left five victims dead before he was found dead himself, shattering a quiet county in hours.

Story Highlights

Police say shootings spanned three sites in Missaukee County on August 14, 2026.
Troopers found three dead and one wounded at the first home; more victims were found later.
Michigan State Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman, later found dead.
Officials said there was no ongoing threat as the investigation continued.

What Police Say Happened Across Three Locations

Michigan State Police said troopers responded around 11:40 a.m. Friday to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township after a report of a shooting. Officers found three people dead at that first home and a fourth person with gunshot wounds who was taken to a hospital. Police later located another victim at a second home, and then found two more people dead in woods near Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township, including the suspect.

Authorities identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman and warned the public he was armed and dangerous during the search before confirming he was found dead. State police described the case as a shooting incident that spanned three locations in Missaukee County. A Michigan State Police lieutenant said there was no ongoing threat after Hickman was located, and investigators kept processing scenes into the evening. The Associated Press reported the investigation remained active on Saturday.

Victims, Survivor, and Evolving Counts

Major outlets reported five victims killed and one survivor, with Hickman also deceased, for a total of six dead including the suspect. Reporters noted that early headlines varied between “six dead, including suspect” and “five killed and suspect dead,” which describe the same toll in different terms. Later local reporting identified several victims by age and relationship details and said a 13-year-old girl survived after being shot, with her condition improving to stable.

The Detroit News reported an identified 40-year-old mother, a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman, a 16-year-old boy, a 53-year-old man, and a 29-year-old woman connected to the scenes, as well as the 13-year-old survivor. Police did not release all names immediately, citing next-of-kin notifications. Reporters said the exact order of the shootings and the full forensic links among the sites were still being established. Officials said the motive was not yet known as detectives collected evidence.

Why This Case Hit So Hard, And What Comes Next

Rural Missaukee County rarely sees a crime on this scale. Police called the case heartbreaking and urged patience as they worked through three locations and multiple victims. Large, fast-moving cases often start with partial facts because police must secure scenes, treat the injured, and notify families first. That process can shift details over the first day, such as the survivor’s condition moving from critical to stable as doctors provide updates.

Missaukee County, Michigan — August 14, 2026 — Michigan State Police responded at approximately 11:40 a.m. to a reported shooting at a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township, where troopers found a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy dead from gunshot… pic.twitter.com/Hk211Ot01k

— Police Incidents (@PoliceIncident) August 18, 2026

Investigators will now build the timeline. That includes ballistics tests, autopsy findings, phone records, and interviews that confirm where the suspect went and when. Media research shows early narratives in mass shootings harden fast, even as facts change with better data. Clear, document-based updates from state police and medical examiners can steady the record and help the community understand what happened without guesswork as the case file comes together.