NEWTOWN, Conn. – Four adults and a 16-year-old boy were killed after a gunman opened fire at several locations in Missaukee County, Michigan on Friday. A 13-year-old girl was also critically injured in the attack after being shot multiple times, and is now reported to be in stable condition.
After a wide search, law enforcement found the suspected shooter deceased in a wooded area. The suspect has a prior conviction of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse from 2024 and received a one-year jail sentence. Information about the relationships between the victims and the shooter has not been specified by investigators.
Including this incident, there have been at least 14 mass shootings in the state of Michigan since the start of 2026 in which four or more people were injured or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Firearms are the leading cause of death among young people ages 1-17 in the state.
In response, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“Our hearts are deeply broken for the victims, their families, and the Missaukee County community as they confront this horrific tragedy. We are holding the young 13-year-old survivor in our thoughts as she recovers, knowing that no child, family, or community should ever have to endure the physical and emotional trauma caused by such senseless violence.
“While details are still emerging, the shooter’s history of a prior child abuse conviction highlights an all-too-familiar reality: clear warning signs often precede acts of severe violence. When individuals with a history of violence or in moments of crisis demonstrate clear warning signs, we must have the tools and systems in place to intervene before a tragedy can occur.
“Mass shootings and violent attacks are preventable when you know the signs. We must transform our grief into action by expanding evidence-based prevention programs, empowering communities to know the signs, and supporting nonpartisan policies that keep weapons out of dangerous hands. We owe it to every victim, survivor, and community to act together to stop gun violence before it claims another life.”
For more information about gun violence prevention, resources for how communities can heal after a tragedy, and information about life-saving firearm access policies, please visit sandyhookpromise.org.
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Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) envisions a future where all children are free from school shootings and other acts of violence. As a national nonprofit organization, SHP’s mission is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Creators of the life-saving, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” prevention programs, SHP teaches the warning signs of someone who may be in crisis, socially isolated, or at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to get help. SHP also advances school safety, youth mental health, and responsible gun ownership at the state and federal levels through nonpartisan policy and partnerships. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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