11 guns found in home of suspected Michigan splash pad shooter
Police recovered at least 11 guns from the home of a suspected shooter believed to have opened fire at a splash pad outside of Detroit over the weekend, injuring nine people and leaving the community reeling.
The shooter, who fired 36 rounds, potentially brought two handguns to the scene and left behind a 9mm Glock when he fled, said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
Police believe the suspect used the other gun to take his own life inside the house he lived at with his mother. His mother was out of the state when the shooting occurred.
Some of the victims were left in critical condition, including an eight-year-old boy, the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported Sunday.
"I don't believe this incident will define our community, I believe our response will," said City of Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan K. Barnett at a news conference held Monday afternoon.
Other Father's Day weekend shooting: 8 injured after shooting at 'pop-up' party in Methuen, Massachusetts
Who was the suspect?
Editor's note: If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, dial or text 988 to reach someone with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. They're available 24 hours a day and provide services in multiple languages.
Nash had no connection to the victims, and Bouchard described the shooting as "very random" and "bizarre."
The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Michael William Nash. He did not have a criminal history and lived with his mother. Police believe he had mental health challenges.
Family members said the suspect would walk around the house armed, tell people to shut off their phones and that the "government was tracking him," said Bouchard.
Bouchard added there is still no information on whether the suspect's mental health issues had been brought to the attention of officials before the shooting occurred on Saturday.
After the shooting, Nash was tracked back to a residence in Shelby Township. SWAT teams surrounded the house and tried to make contact with Nash, but the suspect died by suicide inside the residence, stated Rochester Police on Facebook.
The suspect's phone was recovered. However, police could not find any evidence that could suggest a motive and detectives are still investigating
Who are the victims?
The following victims remain in critical condition as of Monday, according to the Detroit Free Press:
Boy, 8, in critical condition: Suffered a gunshot wound to the head
Woman, 39, in critical condition: Shot in the abdomen and thigh
The boy, who is in critical condition, "made amazing progress," said Bouchard, who saw the victim on Sunday, but noted "there's still a lot of challenges ahead."
Eric and Micayla Coughlin, a husband and wife from Rochester were shot a total of seven times while protecting their daughters, 2 and 7 months old. The girls were protected during the shooting thanks to their parents' efforts and were able to go home that same evening, states a GoFundMe that was created by the couple's friend and verified by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Two victims, a 37-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man were released from the hospital and another woman, 39, is anticipated to be released later today, said Bouchard.
Originally, there were believed to have been eight victims, but after calling local hospitals, police found the final victim and raised the number to nine, the sheriff's office said in an email to USA TODAY.
Fundraiser scams
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office warned the public that fraudulent GoFundMe pages were created, and claimed they were raising money for the victims.
"The bottom feeders are already at it," said the sheriff's office on Facebook. "We will investigate any fraud and encourage the public to avoid donating to anything or anyone in the name of victims, unless you see it verified by the sheriff's office as legitimate."
A GoFundMe claimed it was raising money to help a victim, his pregnant wife and children. But, neither the man nor his family are victims, states the sheriff's office in a press release. It raised over $15,000 online.
The fundraiser was removed from the platform, and all donors were refunded, a GoFundMe spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email.
"I encourage anyone interested in donating to check with the sheriff’s office first," said Bouchard in a statement. "If there are legitimate sites, we will let the public know.”
What happened?
At around 5 p.m. on Saturday, a shooter unleashed 28 rounds on families spending the warm summer day at the splash pad located in Rochester Hills, a city nearly 30 miles north of downtown Detroit.
The splash pad, an open area with different sprinklers children can play in was closed on Monday and will remain closed until further notice, said the city.
Moving forward
Rochester Hills will provide mental health resources to victims and families affected by the shooting, reads a notice on its website.
"To aid in the recovery process, [Oakland Community Health Network] has opened a Family Assistance Center at the Rochester Hills Department of Public Services, 511 E. Auburn Road, where counselors will be available from 4-8 p.m. Monday through Friday," it said. "No appointment is necessary."
Affected families who can not make it to the center can call 800-848-5533 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to access the service.
"One may also connect with the Michigan Crisis and Access Line by dialing 988 which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week or OCHN’s non-emergency behavioral health access department at 248-464-6363, 8 am - 8 pm Monday through Friday," states the city.
Contributing: Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press staff
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan splash pad shooting: 11 guns found in suspect's home