Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
New York Post
8 shot — including 8-year-old boy –at Michigan water park in random attack, suspect dead
By Patrick Reilly, Katherine Donlevy,
17 days ago
A bloodthirsty gunman opened fire on innocent kids enjoying a Michigan splash pad Saturday before being cornered by cops in a nearby home and killing himself, police said.
The unidentified suspect unloaded 28 gunshots at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in Rochester Hills around 5 p.m. on what marked the end of the first full week of summer vacation for public school students.
“It appears like the individual pulled up, exited a vehicle, approached the splash pad, opened fire, reloaded, opened fire, reloaded, left,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters.
Eight people were injured in the gunfire — down from the 10 victims police initially reported before checking in with area hospitals.
At least three of the victims come from one family — an 8-year-old boy was shot in the head and is in critical condition while his brother, 4, suffered a shot to the thigh, Bouchard said.
“It appears very random. No connectivity to the victims,” Bouchard said, calling the incident “a gut punch” for the country.
Police cordoned off the scene of the shooting with tape, and dozens of yellow evidence markers lay on the ground among colorful folding chairs.
Officials also recovered a handgun and three empty magazines at the attack scene, according to the sheriff.
Police tracked the suspect to a nearby home, where they had a brief standoff with police. They sent a drone inside the home before storming the house to find the suspect was dead.
Rochester City Mayor Bryan Barnett said the suspect died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound” during the standoff, but would not comment on a potential motive.
According to cops, the gunman had a semiautomatic rifle and another handgun inside the home, meaning the quick containment may have prevented a “second chapter” to the shooting, Bouchard said.
The victims’ conditions are unknown.
“I’ve received calls from the White House, the Governor, most of our congressional delegation and mayors from across the county,” Barnett said in a statement . “This is a horrible scene that has been repeated too many times across our country….unfortunately touching our city today.
“The Brooklands is a proud neighborhood and our city is equally tight knit and strong. We will be ok. I would ask all of our residents to continue praying for the victims, their families and for our community.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on X that she was “heartbroken” to learn of the shooting and was in touch with local officials.
“Kids deserve to be safe from gun violence – whether at school, at home, or at a splash pad,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wrote on X . “Whatever we are doing, it’s not enough.”
Rochester Hills is located about 28 miles from downtown Detroit.
For top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0