Michigan splash pad shooting: What we know, and what to expect next

• A 42-year-old white male opened fire at a splash pad in Rochester Hills on Saturday, wounding multiple people — including two children. 
• The gunman, located by police a short time later, later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound
• Though Michigan has a law to take firearms from those at risk of hurting themselves or others, it's unclear if it would have prevented the shooting

Update: Michigan splash pad shooter was a known risk. 'Red flag' law didn't stop him

LANSING — In the aftermath of nine people injured Saturday at a splash pad shooting in Rochester Hills, some may be wondering whether Michigan’s current gun laws could have prevented the tragedy.

That answer isn’t immediately clear, with details of the shooting still emerging.

On Sunday, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office identified 42-year-old Michael William Nash as the suspected shooter, a white male living with his mother. He had no apparent criminal record but a history of struggling with his mental health, officials said.

As the state continues to grapple with the aftermath of its latest mass shooting, here’s what we know so far.

What happened?

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said police dispatched to the Brooklands Plaza splash pad in Rochester Hills shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday due to reports of an active shooter. By the time police arrived around 5:13 p.m., Nash had already fled the scene.

Deputies immediately began to administer first aid at this point. 

“I, in my worst nightmare, couldn’t imagine standing up here again, talking about another active shooter … Unfortunately, this has become all too common in America, but especially too common in our community,” Bouchard said in a press conference Saturday following the shooting.

The agency had previously responded to a shooting at Oxford High School in 2021, which left four people dead, and a shooting at Michigan State University in 2023 which claimed the lives of three students.

Nash is believed to have shot nine individuals at a splash pad in Rochester Hills shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday, Bouchard said. He is alleged to have fired 28 shots randomly into the area, reloading multiple times according to police. 

Among the victims are two children: an 8-year-old boy who was reported to be in critical condition Saturday after being shot in the head and a 4-year-old boy considered stable after an eye wound. 

The two boys, Bouchard added, are believed to belong to the same family. Their mother, a 39-year-old woman, was also injured in her abdomen and legs and was also reportedly in critical condition.

Police were able to trace Nash back to his home after recovering a handgun and magazine registered to him from the scene. They attempted to make contact with him, but upon receiving no response, sent in a drone to assess the situation.

Inside the house, police found a gun which looked to be a semi-automatic weapon, Bouchard said. They also found Nash, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is not believed he had any relation to any of his victims.

“We don’t know what the next chapter was going to be,” Bouchard said, later adding that police’s expediency in tracking down Nash helped save further lives.

“I believe that because we had quick containment on him, that if he had planned to do anything else — wouldn’t surprise me, because having that on the kitchen table is not an everyday activity — that there was possibly something else, a second chapter potentially.”

What politicians are saying

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, officials were quick to offer their thoughts and prayers online.

“Father’s Day can be joyful, but can carry mixed emotions for so many, especially following a tragedy like we saw yesterday,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday. 

“I’m holding Michigan’s fathers and their families in my heart and hope you find a way to honor this day in whatever way makes sense for you.”

Sunday also saw Oakland County emphasize various mental health supports that are available for the remainder of the week for those impacted by the shooting.

“The Oakland County community stands with the injured and their families, and unfortunately, just as we had to do in Oxford, we will be with the victims, their families and the community for as long as it takes,” Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said in a statement. 

“I’m grateful for the quick response from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and first responders, and for the coordination between our Emergency Operations Center and other responding agencies.”

Several were also quick to thank law enforcement for their fast response.

“I am praying for the victims and their families,” state Sen. Michael Webber, R-Rochester Hills, said in a statement. “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our first responders, including the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department and nearby paramedics who responded quickly. 

“The Greater Rochester Area will remain a strong community, and we will support each other during this tragic time.”

State Rep. Mark Tisdale, a Republican representing Rochester Hills in the House, added that while the tragedy was horrible, “we are a strong, resilient community who will bind together in this tough time.”

Could this have been prevented?

That answer is a little more complicated.

Michigan enacted laws to remove guns from individuals at risk of hurting themselves or others, known as extreme risk protection orders, earlier this year.

Those orders, however, can only be initiated by someone with either a personal familial or romantic relationship with the gun owner, a roommate or a mandatory reporter, such as a police officer or health care provider. 

It does not immediately appear, even with Nash’s alleged mental health struggles, a risk protection order was taken out against him.

But “nobody – absolutely nobody  – including responsible gun owners wants these tragedies,” state Rep. Kelly Breen told Bridge Michigan in a text message on Sunday.

Breen, a Novi Democrat, was integral in helping pass Michigan’s risk protection orders into state law. She was reluctant to speculate whether a risk order “would’ve been an option” in Nash’s situation, saying: “Once facts start to emerge, we can move from there.” 

She also would not speak to whether this latest tragedy would prompt further firearm legislation, saying “I don’t know enough to say if we could’ve done anything.”

“I can definitely say that ‘more guns’ isn’t the answer,” Breen added. “A shootout at a splash pad, or any public place — especially one with children running around — is a horrifying thought.”

“We shouldn’t have to live with this fear.”