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By Jordan King and Emma Marsden
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Chad Hickman, the 39-year-old suspected of killing five people in a mass shooting in rural Michigan, had previously been convicted of child abuse and was involved in a contentious divorce that included allegations of domestic violence, local media show.
Michigan State Police identified Hickman as the suspected gunman after shootings at multiple locations in Missaukee County on Friday. Five victims were killed and another person was critically injured. Hickman was later found dead, although authorities have not disclosed his cause of death or identified a motive as of Saturday.
Court records reviewed by The Detroit News show that Hickman pleaded guilty in 2024 to misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor over an incident dating to 2010. Separate divorce proceedings contained allegations of domestic violence, control and coercion during his marriage.
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Newsweek has contacted the Missaukee County Clerk, via email, for these records.
Authorities have not said what connection, if any, existed between Hickman and the victims or whether his past legal and domestic disputes were related to the shootings.
What Happened in the Michigan Shootings?
Michigan State Police said troopers were dispatched at about 11:40 a.m. Friday to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township after receiving a report that someone had been shot. Officers found three people dead and another critically injured, who was taken to a hospital.
Police said the shooter had left the property before troopers arrived. Authorities warned that he was considered armed and dangerous, launching a large-scale search involving the MSP Emergency Support Team as well as aviation and canine units.
As the search continued, investigators found a fourth person dead at a separate home in Missaukee County. Troopers later located Hickman’s vehicle near a wooded area close to Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township. Hickman and another victim were subsequently found dead in the woods.
The discoveries brought the death toll to six, including Hickman, while one person remained critically injured.
“This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved,” MSP Lt. Ashley Miller said. “We remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation and will provide updates as new information becomes available.”
Authorities have not publicly identified the victims, disclosed their relationships to Hickman or announced a possible motive. Hickman’s cause and manner of death also had not been released. Newsweek contacted the MSP Seventh District public information officer, via email on Saturday, for comment.
What Do We Know About Chad Hickman?
Hickman was 39 and lived in the Lake City-Jennings area of Missaukee County, according to the sheriff’s office, which identified him during the search as an armed and dangerous person of interest.
Publicly available information about Hickman’s personal and professional life remains limited but the records reviewed by The Detroit News show that he had a previous criminal case involving allegations of harm to a child.
Hickman pleaded guilty in 2024 to two misdemeanor offenses: fourth-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a child, according to the outlet. The charges arose from an incident dating to 2010 and were brought following an investigation by the Missaukee County Sheriff’s Office. He was subsequently sentenced to serve time in county jail.
The court dismissed more serious charges against Hickman, including assault with intent to do great bodily harm, interfering with electronic communications and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Two additional misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree child abuse were also dismissed.
Under Michigan law, fourth-degree child abuse can involve an omission or reckless act that causes physical harm to a child, or an intentional act that creates an unreasonable risk of harm, even if an injury does not ultimately occur.
Michigan’s statute on contributing to the delinquency of a minor prohibits encouraging or contributing to conduct that causes a child under 17 to become neglected or delinquent.
What We Know About The Victims
Five people were killed in the shootings, while a 13-year-old girl survived after being critically injured, according to Michigan State Police.
The victims ranged in age from 16 to 53. Three people—a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy—were found dead at the home on South LaChance Road, as reported by MLive.
A 53-year-old man was later found dead at the second home in Missaukee County, while a 29-year-old woman was discovered dead in the wooded area near Whitlock Lake, where Hickman was also found dead.
A 13-year-old girl was found critically injured at the first residence and was taken to hospital. She has since been reported to be in stable condition. Police said all five people who died suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
Authorities have not yet publicly released the victims' names or established a motive for the shootings.
“As investigators seek a possible motive for the shootings, they have identified the five victims by age and gender though not by relationship to each other at this time,” MSP said in a statement.
The investigation remains ongoing.
08/16/26 3:51 ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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