An 8-year-old boy who was shot in the head by a man who opened fire on a splash pad in Rochester Hills, Michigan on Saturday is still in the hospital being treated for his injuries, as is another of the nine victims who were injured in the shooting, police reported. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard provided an update on Monday on those who were hospitalized when Michael William Nash, 42, fired more than two dozen bullets at families at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad at around 5 p.m. Saturday. Nash walked onto the platform of the splash pad and started shooting his 9mm Glock at victims as close as 20 feet away, reloading twice and firing at least 28 rounds.
Among the victims in the shooting are the 8-year-old boy who is still in the hospital, his 4-year-old brother who was shot in the leg, a 39-year-old mom with wounds to her abdomen and leg, and six other victims ranging in age from 30 to 78 who are also in stable condition. Police arrived at the scene within 2 minutes of the shooting, at which point Nash had already left and police went to his home, where they found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, with a semi-automatic rifle on his kitchen table. The shooter has no known connection to any of the victims and police have not determined a motive in what they are calling a “random” attack.
Bouchard has stated that Nash had “mental health challenges” and neighbors described him as a “loner.” The discovery of the rifle on his kitchen table has led to speculation by Bouchard that Nash may have had plans for a “second chapter” if he had not taken his own life. This incident marks the eighth mass shooting in Michigan so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an event in which at least four people, not including the shooter, are injured or killed. Forty-three people have been injured in Michigan and two have died as a result of these incidents.
Across the country, there were five mass shootings on Saturday alone, one each in Michigan, Alabama, Texas, and Ohio, resulting in three deaths and 29 injuries. The United States has seen a total of 223 mass shootings so far this year, down almost 35% from the same period last year. Florida leads in the number of mass shootings with 18 incidents, while Illinois has seen the most deaths with 25 victims killed. Rochester Hills, where the shooting took place, was named one of the safest cities in the United States last year and has been dubbed the safest city in Michigan for the past seven years. Livability.com ranked Rochester Hills as the 20th best place to live in the country for its safety and quality of life.
This tragic incident highlights the ongoing issue of gun violence in the United States and the devastating impact it can have on communities. The lack of a clear motive in this case shows the unpredictable nature of these attacks and the urgent need for solutions to prevent future tragedies. The community of Rochester Hills, known for its safety and quality of life, is left shocked and devastated by this senseless act of violence, as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the shooting and provide support to the victims and their families.
