NEW DELHI: Authorities on Sunday identified the man who opened fire at a splash pad in suburban Detroit before taking his own life as 42-year-old Michael William Nash of Shelby Township. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard stated that Nash had no prior criminal history but appeared to be privately struggling with mental health issues. However, no one was aware of his challenges.
The splash pad shooting was one of at least four mass shootings that occurred across the country on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.In addition to the incident in suburban Detroit, six people were shot in Lathrup Village, seven were shot at a party in Methuen, Massachusetts, and eight were shot during a Juneteenth celebration in Round Rock, Texas, resulting in two fatalities.
According to authorities, Nash drove to a city park in Rochester Hills on Saturday and opened fire at a splash pad around 5 p.m The sheriff reported that Nash fired up to 28 times, pausing several times to reload. Nine people were injured, including an 8-year-old boy who was shot in the head, his 4-year-old brother who was shot in the leg, and their mother who was wounded in the abdomen and leg. The 8-year-old boy and the mother were in critical condition, while the 4-year-old and the other six victims were in stable condition.
Nash eventually fled the scene, leaving his gun behind. Investigators used the weapon’s registration information to track him to his home in Shelby Township, where he lived with his mother. When police arrived, they found a car matching the gunman’s vehicle. Deputies surrounded the home and discovered Nash dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. They also found a handgun next to his body and a semiautomatic rifle on the kitchen table, leading Bouchard to suggest that Nash may have been planning a “second chapter” to the shooting.
Neighbors described Nash as a loner who rarely left the house and did not engage with the community. His mother was described as friendly, but she had been traveling the United States. Investigators are working to determine if Nash left behind any writings or clues on his electronic devices that could shed light on his motive.
The shooting has deeply affected the Rochester Hills community, with Mayor Bryan Barnett expressing his heartbreak over the tragedy. Sheriff Bouchard called the attack “a gut punch” for the county, which has already experienced several tragedies, including the Oxford High School shooting in 2021.
The splash pad shooting was one of at least four mass shootings that occurred across the country on Saturday night and early Sunday morning.In addition to the incident in suburban Detroit, six people were shot in Lathrup Village, seven were shot at a party in Methuen, Massachusetts, and eight were shot during a Juneteenth celebration in Round Rock, Texas, resulting in two fatalities.
According to authorities, Nash drove to a city park in Rochester Hills on Saturday and opened fire at a splash pad around 5 p.m The sheriff reported that Nash fired up to 28 times, pausing several times to reload. Nine people were injured, including an 8-year-old boy who was shot in the head, his 4-year-old brother who was shot in the leg, and their mother who was wounded in the abdomen and leg. The 8-year-old boy and the mother were in critical condition, while the 4-year-old and the other six victims were in stable condition.
Nash eventually fled the scene, leaving his gun behind. Investigators used the weapon’s registration information to track him to his home in Shelby Township, where he lived with his mother. When police arrived, they found a car matching the gunman’s vehicle. Deputies surrounded the home and discovered Nash dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. They also found a handgun next to his body and a semiautomatic rifle on the kitchen table, leading Bouchard to suggest that Nash may have been planning a “second chapter” to the shooting.
Neighbors described Nash as a loner who rarely left the house and did not engage with the community. His mother was described as friendly, but she had been traveling the United States. Investigators are working to determine if Nash left behind any writings or clues on his electronic devices that could shed light on his motive.
The shooting has deeply affected the Rochester Hills community, with Mayor Bryan Barnett expressing his heartbreak over the tragedy. Sheriff Bouchard called the attack “a gut punch” for the county, which has already experienced several tragedies, including the Oxford High School shooting in 2021.
