The immediate public threat has ended, but investigators are still working to determine how the deadly events unfolded.
MISSAUKEE COUNTY, Mich. — Residents of a rural northern Michigan county faced the aftermath of a deadly series of shootings Saturday as state police processed three scenes and worked to determine what led to six deaths and left another person critically injured.
Michigan State Police said the person they identified as the suspected gunman, 39-year-old Chad Hickman, was among those found dead Friday. His discovery ended a large-scale search that had brought aviation, canine and emergency support teams into the area. Police later said there was no continuing threat to the public, while investigators remained at the locations tied to the case.
The first police response began about 11:40 a.m. Friday at a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township. Troopers responding to a report that a person had been shot found three people dead and another critically injured. The surviving injured person was transported to an area hospital.
Police said Hickman had fled before troopers reached the home, prompting an intensive search. Authorities warned residents not to approach him while officers searched the area. During the response, investigators found another deceased person at a second home elsewhere in Missaukee County.
The search later moved toward Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township after troopers observed Hickman’s vehicle near a wooded area. Officers searching the woods found Hickman dead and another person dead nearby. Those discoveries brought the death toll to six, including Hickman.
Lt. Ashley Miller, a public information officer for Michigan State Police, said the scale of the loss was difficult for both investigators and the community. “Not only is this difficult for our investigators and our troopers, but it’s very hard for this community,” Miller said. She said police remained committed to a thorough investigation and to releasing additional information as it became available.
Although specialized resources were committed to the shooting investigation, Miller said police continued normal patrols and responses to other calls for service. Authorities also asked residents to avoid the three investigation areas so detectives and evidence teams could work safely.
Many central details remained unanswered Saturday. Authorities had not publicly released a motive, explained the relationships among those involved or identified the five people who died other than Hickman. Police also had not publicly provided the identities of the critically injured person or detailed the circumstances of each death.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she had been briefed on the shootings and was monitoring the situation. She expressed condolences to the victims, their families and the Missaukee County community as investigators continued their work.
State police said their account of Friday’s events remained preliminary and could change as evidence is reviewed. With the immediate danger over, the investigation has shifted toward establishing a complete timeline, identifying the people who died and determining what led to the violence across the separate locations.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 15, 2026.