ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – At least nine people were wounded when a gunman opened fire Saturday evening at a splash pad in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, authorities said. The suspect was believed to be barricaded in a home nearby.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a news briefing the male suspect pulled up in a vehicle a little after 5 p.m. local time, got out and opened fire on the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad, located at 1585 E. Auburn Rd.
“It appears like the individual pulled up, exited a vehicle, approached the splash pad, opened fire, reloaded, opened fire, reloaded, left,” Bouchard said. “It appears very random at this point…No connectivity to the victims.”
Bouchard said nine to 10 people were shot, and at least one child, an 8-year-old, was in critical condition. At least four area hospitals were treating victims “with varying kinds of injuries,” Bouchard said. At least one of the patients underwent surgery.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, was believed to be “contained” in a house within a half-mile of the splash pad, Bouchard said.
“We determined who we thought was potentially involved from some of the evidence on scene very quickly, went immediately there,” Bouchard said. “A vehicle that matched what had been described as a vehicle leaving the scene was there. So we put up a quick perimeter. And deputies on scene apparently heard or saw the individual that they’re trying to communicate with.”
The gunman fired potentially 28 times and reloaded multiple times, Bouchard said. A 9mm Glock semi-automatic handgun was recovered from the scene, along with three empty magazines.
“It’s a gut punch, obviously, for us here in Oakland County. We’ve gone through so many tragedies,” Bouchard said. “We’re not even fully comprehending what happened at Oxford (Oxford High School shooting) and now we have another complete tragedy that we’re dealing with.”
The city of Rochester Hills is located about 25 miles north of Detroit.
