Chad Hickman shot multiple people on Friday 11:40 a.m., in Missaukee County, Michigan leaving six dead including the suspect, and sending one 13-year-old to hospital from a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township.
Last update: 18 August 2026. The sequence of attacks and subsequent search mobilized the Michigan State Police and local agencies, raising urgent questions about motive and community safety in a rural county roughly 170 miles northwest of Detroit.
Sequence of events and locations
Initial calls reached police at about 1140 a.m., when officers responded to the South LaChance Road address in Lake Township. At that scene, investigators found three deceased individuals—a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy—and a critically injured 13-year-old girl who was transported to hospital and later stabilized.
During the subsequent search, a fourth victim, a 53-year-old man, was found dead at a second residence elsewhere in Missaukee County. Law enforcement located the suspect’s vehicle near a wooded area by Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township where two more bodies—a 29-year-old woman and the suspect—were discovered.
Victims, injuries and forensic findings
Authorities reported that the five deceased victims suffered fatal gunshot wounds; the 13-year-old survivor was described as in stable condition after emergency care. Investigators worked through the scenes to process evidence and determine relationships among the victims and any connection to the suspect.
Officials identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman. Public records show that in 2026 Hickman was convicted of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor related to an incident in 2010; more serious charges previously brought against him were dismissed. Authorities have not established whether this history was linked to the shootings.
Law enforcement response and community impact
The search for Hickman involved K-9 units and the MSP Emergency Support Team with local officers asking residents to avoid affected areas during evidence collection. A warning circulated on the social platform X as the manhunt unfolded, alerting the public that Hickman was believed to be armed and dangerous.
Neighbors described a tense rural environment; resident Tim Penrose told investigators he had heard frequent harassment and gunfire near Hickman’s property but did not initially view such sounds as unusual in the area. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued public condolences, saying, “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community.”
Investigators continue to collect evidence and interview witnesses as the probe remains active in Missaukee. The case file includes scene timelines, forensic reports and victim identification processes being coordinated with family notifications. Authorities urged anyone with information to contact local law enforcement.
