Five killed, including teen, in Missaukee County shootings; suspect found dead

A teenage boy and four adults were killed Friday in a series of shootings in Missaukee County, Michigan, while a 13-year-old girl survived in stable condition, police said. The 39-year-old suspect, identified as Chad Hickman, fled the scene and was later found dead in a wooded area alongside a 29-year-old woman, after authorities located the body of a 53-year-old man at a second residence.

Officers responded to reports of gunfire at a home about 170 miles northwest of Detroit, where they recovered the bodies of a 16-year-old boy, a 45-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman. A second home yielded the body of the 53-year-old man, and investigators later found the suspect and the 29-year-old woman dead in the woods. All victims died from gunshot wounds.

"This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved," Lt. Ashley Miller said in a statement on Friday.

The investigation remains ongoing, according to Miller. Hickman had been convicted earlier in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and sentenced to one year in jail, with felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges dismissed.

Local resident Tim Penrose, who lives near the site where the 53-year-old was found, said Hickman had lived in the home and often harassed him and his wife, though he provided no further details. Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she was monitoring the situation and expressed her thoughts for the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community.