(RepublicanView.org) – A man allegedly opened fire at a waterpark near Detroit on June 15, injuring 9 people, including two children.
According to reports, the 42-year-old suspect pulled in front of Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad, a popular water park in Rochester Hills, later in the afternoon. He then allegedly took out a rifle and 9mm handgun before opening fire. He is said to have fired over 30 shots towards a crowd of people and even paused to reload several times. He then allegedly ran into a nearby home, leaving the pistol behind.
Authorities pursued and cornered the man. That’s when he turned the rifle on himself, police say.
Two young brothers, one eight and the other, 4, both suffered gunshot wounds, as did their mother. The 8-year-old remains in critical condition after suffering a shot to the head. The other is also in critical condition, but doctors said the 4-year-old is stable. All of the other victims are stable.
The shooting comes just three years after a school shooting in Oxford Township, a nearby community. That shooting, which occurred in December, was the deadliest school shooting of 2021. 911 operators reported over 100 calls related to the incident flooding in shortly after it started. Four students were killed during that shooting, and six others suffered injuries. The teen, Ethan Crumbley, who was accused of the shooting, filed an appeal against his life sentence just last week.
Michael Bouchard, the sheriff of Oakland County, said the latest incident was like a “gut punch” as many in the community still hadn’t recovered from the previous shooting.
Mayor B. Barnett expressed his sadness over the incident, revealing that he “started crying” when he reached the scene. He referred to it as “jarring” on both a mental and emotional level.
The alleged shooter was later identified as Michael William Nash from Shelby Township. Police still haven’t determined a motive for the shooting, but they did note that he suffered from mental health problems. However, he had a clean criminal record prior to the shooting.
The park has been closed with no reopening date set.
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