MISSAUKEE COUNTY, MI — Six people are dead, including the suspected shooter, after shootings at several locations in Northern Lower Michigan, state police said.
State police have identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman.
According to a news release from state police, troopers were dispatched at 11:40 a.m. Friday to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township for a report of a person shot.
There, troopers found three people dead and one person in critical condition, who was taken to an area hospital.
Police said the suspect, identified as Hickman, fled before troopers arrived, prompting a large-scale police response and searches from the MSP Emergency Support Team and its aviation and canine units.
Early Friday afternoon, the Missaukee County Sheriff's Office said Hickman, who lived in the Lake City/Jennings area, was considered "armed and dangerous," adding that he was possibly driving a white pickup truck.
As the search for Hickman continued, state police said a fourth person was found dead at a second, separate home in Missaukee County.
Troopers also saw Hickman's vehicle near a wooded area close to Whitlock Lake in Caldwell Township, officials said.
While continuing the search, state police said troopers found Hickman and another person dead in the wooded area.
"The MSP is asking community members to avoid all three areas so investigators can safely and effectively process each scene," officials urged residents.
"This situation is heartbreaking for the community and challenging for the investigators involved," state police public information officer Lt. Ashley Miller said in a statement. "We remain committed to conducting a thorough investigation and will provide updates as new information becomes available."
None of the victims had been identified as of early Friday evening.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Across Michigan Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.