Update: Sunday, June 16, 12:02 a.m.
Nine people were injured, including an 8-year-old boy who was struck in the head and was in critical condition, after a shooter opened fire at a splash pad in Rochester Hills where families gathered to escape the summer heat Saturday. Law enforcement tracked a suspect to a home, where the person died by suicide, authorities said.
Two of the victims were children, officials said.
Authorities initially said they believed as many as 10 people had gunshot wounds from the shooting in Rochester Hills, but that number was lowered later on after they checked with area hospitals.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said a suspect was contained in a home nearby, and law enforcement had it surrounded. Rochester officials said via Facebook that the person took their own life.
Bouchard provided the information about the 8-year-old who was in critical condition during a nighttime news conference, where he also said that two of the boy's relatives, including a 4-year-old, had also been shot.
He added that the first deputies who arrived at the scene immediately began providing first aid including tourniquets.
Officers also were able to quickly come up with a likely address, and a car matching the suspect’s vehicle was at the residence.
Update: 11:40 p.m.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said in a statement:
Mental health services from Oakland Community Health Network will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Rochester Hills Department of Public Services building, 511 E. Auburn Road, for victims, their families, and individuals who were at Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in Rochester Hills at the time of the shooting Saturday evening. No appointment is necessary.
Update: 11:05 p.m.
Police say a suspect in the shooting died by suicide at a home.
Original post:
Multiple people were wounded after a shooter opened fire at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in Rochester Hills where families had gathered to escape the summer heat Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Saturday evening that eight people were wounded, including at least two children.
The sheriff's office said Saturday evening that the suspect is believed to be contained in a home in nearby Shelby Township.
"The Sheriff’s Office SWAT team responded to the home, and a search warrant is being obtained to enter the home," officials said in a statement.
The shooting happened just after 5 p.m. in the city of Rochester Hills. Bouchard said it appeared to be random, with the shooter driving up to the park, walking to the splash pad and firing as many as 28 times, stopping multiple times to reload.
A handgun and three empty magazines were recovered, the sheriff said.
Police cordoned off the scene of the shooting with tape, and dozens of yellow evidence markers lay on on the ground among colorful folding chairs.
In a social media post, authorities said there was still an active crime scene and asked people to avoid the area. Bouchard said it was safe for those sheltering in the park to head home.
It was not immediately clear if other people or weapons were inside the home with the possible suspect, Bouchard said, and law enforcement officials were trying to make contact with him.
The victims were taken to hospitals, and their conditions were not immediately known.
Rochester Hills is about 15 miles south of Oxford, where in 2021 a 15-year-old fatally shot four high school students.
Bouchard said Saturday’s shooting is “a gut punch” for the county.
“We’ve gone through so many tragedies,” the sheriff said. “You know, we’re not even fully comprehending what happened at Oxford. And, you know, now we have another complete tragedy that we’re dealing with.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on the social platform X, formerly Twitter, that she was heartbroken to learn of the shooting and was in touch with local officials.
Editor's note: This is a developing story.
