Nine people, including two young children and their mother, were injured when a shooter opened fire at a splash pad in a Detroit suburb where families had gathered to cool off from the summer heat on Saturday. Police later located the shooter at a residence, where he apparently took his own life, according to authorities.
During a news briefing, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard reported that an 8-year-old boy was critically wounded with a gunshot to the head that evening. The boy’s mother was also in critical condition after being shot in the abdomen and leg, while his 4-year-old brother sustained a leg injury but was in stable condition.
The other six victims, all aged 30 or older, were reported to be in stable condition. They included a married couple and a 78-year-old man.
The shooting occurred just after 5 p.m. at a city park featuring a recreational area with a nonslip surface where people can activate sprays and fountains of water for play.
Officials with FIre Department (Via Detroit News)
Sheriff Bouchard described the attack as seemingly random, with the shooter driving to the park, walking to the splash pad, and firing up to 28 shots, pausing to reload multiple times. While witnesses mentioned the shooter possibly using two handguns, this detail has not been confirmed.
“In the midst of chaos, people were falling, getting hit, trying to flee,” Bouchard recounted. “Unfortunately, these are the kinds of terrible events that law enforcement encounters too often.”
The sheriff noted that the gunman showed no urgency after the shooting, calmly walking back to his car. Police received the 911 call about the shooting in real-time due to a service that simultaneously alerts emergency responders. An officer arrived at the scene within two minutes, according to Bouchard.
