Six Dead Across Quiet Country Roads

Crime scene with covered body and hand exposed. — CHILLING BLOODBATH

Six people were killed and a 13-year-old girl was badly wounded in a daylight shooting that moved across quiet country roads in northern Michigan.

At a Glance

Michigan State Police say six people are dead, including the suspect, and one is wounded.
Troopers first responded around 11:40 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, to a home in Lake Township.
Authorities named the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman.
Police processed three scenes and said there was no ongoing threat to the public.

A moving crime scene across a rural county

Michigan State Police said the first 911 call came at about 11:40 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14. Troopers reached a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township and found three people dead and one person in critical condition.

The wounded survivor, a 13-year-old girl who called 911, was taken to a hospital. Police then checked a second home in Missaukee County and found another person dead. The search widened into the woods and along back roads as more units arrived.

Detectives and local deputies focused on Caldwell Township near Whitlock Lake. There, officers found the suspect, 39-year-old Chad Hickman, dead, and another deceased person nearby. That discovery brought the total fatalities to six, including Hickman.

The agency said there was no ongoing threat to the public while they processed each scene. The quick shift from active search to scene control lowered panic in a small community that depends on clear, early updates from law enforcement.

How investigators pieced the chain of events

Investigators worked three linked locations: the first home on South LaChance Road, a second residence in the county, and the wooded area near Whitlock Lake. The sequence held steady across reports. First responders found three dead and one wounded at the first address.

A later check found a fourth deceased person at a second home. The final search located Hickman and one more deceased individual near the lake. This order of discovery came from on-the-record police updates and matched across outlets.

Reporters named the wounded 13-year-old as Bella Everett and said she called 911 after being shot, which helped guide the initial response. One outlet said she was in critical condition, and coverage described her as a survivor at least in the early hours after the attack.

The police did not release full victim identities at the time because they were still notifying families. That process is standard in small counties and protects loved ones in the middle of shock and grief.

Teen boy among 6 dead including suspect in Michigan shootings; girl survived @WashTimes https://t.co/21bKfCyRp0

— Washington Times Local (@WashTimesLocal) August 15, 2026

What we know about the suspect and public safety

Authorities identified the suspect as Chad Hickman, age 39, tied to the Lake City area. He fled before troopers reached the first scene. Police later found him dead near Whitlock Lake. Some outlets reviewed past court records that suggested earlier legal trouble for Hickman, which often becomes part of the public picture after major crimes.

Michigan State Police centered their message on immediate safety. They told residents there was no ongoing threat once they had secured the locations and confirmed the suspect was deceased.

41-year-old Amanda Everitt and her 16-year-old son, Eric Everitt were killed at their home in Friday’s shooting spree across Missaukee County, Michigan.

Amanda’s 13-year-old daughter remains hospitalized in critical condition after reportedly being shot four times. pic.twitter.com/c5M8mE5Kvw

— Newtown Action Alliance ❌👑 (@NewtownAction) August 16, 2026

State police said the investigation remained active through the weekend. Detectives worked to map relationships among the dead and to sort out motive. Forensic teams collected shell casings, phones, and other evidence that may show how the day unfolded.

That methodical pace reflects common sense policing. First, lock down the threat. Then stabilize the community message. Finally, build the case with facts, not rumors. This is how order returns after chaos in a rural county.

Why this hit so hard in a rural place

Missaukee County is the kind of place where a few roads and a handful of lakes knit people together. Multiple scenes ripped at that fabric. A child calling 911 made it feel even closer to home.

Local and national coverage often grows when minors are victims or when a spree crosses locations, and that happened here. The rhythm tracked the known pattern: first the event timeline, then the suspect name, then the search for motive as the dust settles.

Policy debates will come later, as they always do. For now, simple facts matter most. Six lives ended. One young survivor showed grit, called for help, and gave police a path to follow.

Troopers and deputies moved fast to contain the danger, tell the truth, and steady a shaken county. That chain—citizen courage, swift response, focused facts—reflects the core duty government owes the public and the basic strength of neighbors who look out for one another.