Nine people were injured when a man opened fire at Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in a Detroit suburb on Saturday.
Among those injured are two brothers – an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old — and their mother, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The 8-year-old boy and his mother are still in critical condition, but the 4-year-old boy is stable.
The rest of the victims are in stable condition but the extent of their injuries is unknown. They include a 30-year-old woman, a 30-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman, a 39-year-old woman, a 40-year-old man in stable condition and a 78-year-old man.
Officials believe the shooting at the splash pad in Rochester Hills was a random act of violence. A splash pad is a nonslip surface where people can play in fountains, typically found in public parks.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the gunman drove up to the park just after 5 p.m., approached the splash pad and fired more than 28 shots before leaving. He reloaded multiple times, officials said.
Law enforcement was able to track the suspect to a home not far from the recreational park in Shelby Township.
SWAT attempted to make contact, but officers discovered the suspected shooter had died by suicide.
According to Bouchard, the 42-year-old suspected gunman had no criminal history and was living with his mother, who was not home at the time. Officials later identified him as Michael William Nash.
A weapon was recovered at the shooting scene, according to Bouchard. A handgun was found next to the body and a semiautomatic rifle was discovered on the kitchen table.
Bouchard said Saturday that Nash may have been planning a “second chapter” to the shooting.
“It’s heartbreaking … complete thoughts with the families right now,” said Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on X, “I am heartbroken to learn about the shooting in Rochester Hills. We are monitoring the situation as updates continue to come in, and are in touch with local officials.”
During a press conference Sunday morning, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said, "Yesterday's horrific shooting of nine people, including two young boys, at a splash pad in Rochester Hills is just another appalling example of senseless violence. Unfortunately in my five years as a county executive, this is now my second mass shooting. We're getting all too good at this and I'm disgusted by it."
Coulter said that anyone traumatized or affected by this event is asked to contact the Oakland County Health Network for help.
