At least six people are dead and one wounded after a mass shooting in Missaukee County, a rural area of northern Michigan, on Friday. The suspected gunman, identified by Michigan State Police as 39-year-old Chad Hickman, was among the deceased. Another person is in critical condition at a local hospital.
Manhunt and discovery
Hickman fled the scene, prompting a manhunt, according to police. The Missaukee County Sheriff's Office had appealed to the public for help locating the “armed and dangerous” Hickman before he was found by state police. Investigators tracked his vehicle to a wooded area, where he and another individual were found deceased. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear.
Official response and background
“This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” said Lt. Ashley Miller, a Michigan State Police spokesperson. “We remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation and will provide updates as new information becomes available.”
Court records indicate Hickman was in the process of a divorce. He had been sentenced to more than a year in county jail after pleading guilty in 2024 to two misdemeanors: contributing to the delinquency of a child and fourth-degree child abuse, which under state law can mean a reckless act that harmed or endangered a minor. Both charges dated back to a 2010 offense.
