Several people shot in Splash Pad Park, suspect dead: police

Police said nine people, including two children, were shot after someone opened fire at a water playground in Michigan on Saturday afternoon.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect was found dead following the shooting Saturday night near the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad in Rochester Hills, about 25 miles north of Detroit.

The 42-year-old suspect was found dead in a home he shared with his mother, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said.

Bouchard told reporters that preliminary information indicates the shooting appears to have been random. The suspect is believed to have exited a vehicle, opened fire at the water playground, reloaded, opened fire again and then fled, Bouchard said.

According to the sheriff, the suspect fired 28 shots.

Bouchard said nine people were shot, including two boys from the same family. An 8-year-old boy was hit in the head and is in critical condition, the sheriff said. A 4-year-old boy was hit in the thigh and is in stable condition, he said. Their 39-year-old mother is in critical condition and suffered injuries to her abdomen and legs, the sheriff said.

Authorities said six other people were injured and in stable condition.

A sergeant monitoring a live 911 channel heard the first call at 5:11 p.m. Saturday, officials said. Officers arrived at the scene within 2 minutes, but the suspect had already fled, Bouchard said.

Officials said they recovered a semi-automatic pistol and three magazines at the scene. An AR-15-style rifle was found on a table in the suspect’s home, he said.

“I am deeply saddened by the shooting in Rochester Hills. We are monitoring the situation as updates continue to come in and are in contact with local authorities,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on X.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.