Michigan Mass Shooting Leaves Six Dead Across Missaukee County

A mass shooting in rural Missaukee County, northern Michigan, resulted in six fatalities, including the suspected gunman, and one person critically injured. Michigan State Police identified the suspected gunman as 39-year-old Chad Hickman of Lake City following a violent rampage spanning multiple properties. Authorities initially responded to a shooting at a home in Lake Township, where three people were found dead and one critically injured before the suspect fled the scene.

The violent crime scene eventually spanned at least three different locations across the county, triggering an intensive manhunt by law enforcement agencies. During the subsequent search, a fourth victim was discovered dead at another home in Missaukee County. Law enforcement later located the suspect's vehicle in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township, where both the gunman and a fifth deceased victim were discovered by investigators.

Court records indicate that the suspected gunman experienced a recent divorce in 2025 with allegations of domestic violence and held a prior conviction from 2024 for misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse. Law enforcement officials described the multi-location tragedy as deeply heartbreaking for the local community and immensely challenging for the investigating officers. Authorities continue to process forensic evidence across the widespread rural crime scenes.