Two Rochester Hills shooting victims released from hospital, two remain critical

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 5 minutes read

Pontiac — Two victims of a mass shooting at a Rochester Hills splash pad remained in critical condition Monday, including an 8-year-old boy who was shot in the head, although he appears to be making surprising progress, said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. a press conference.

Of the nine victims who were shot Saturday night at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad, two have been released from the hospital, a 37-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, while seven remain in the hospital, Bouchard said. The sheriff's office anticipated that another victim, a 39-year-old woman suffering injuries to her wrist and forearm, could also be released later Monday.

The other critical victim is a 39-year-old woman who suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen. A relative, aged 4, was in stable condition after being shot in the thigh. The two are in the same family as the head-injured 8-year-old who has made progress, “but there are still a lot of challenges ahead,” Bouchard said.

Describing how the family is resisting, “shaken would be an understatement,” the sheriff said.

“This poor family went through things that no family should ever have to face,” Bouchard said. “You have a family of four and three are in the hospital.”

Monday's update also shed new light on the shooter, Michael Williams Nash, who police said had 11 guns in his home, in addition to the Glock semi-automatic pistol he used in the shooting. shooting. Nash showed signs of paranoia, Bouchard said. Nash's mother, Kathryn, with whom he lived in a mobile home in Shelby Township, initially spoke to authorities but has now obtained an attorney, the sheriff said.

The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office also released details about Nash's death.

The investigation continues, in particular to determine what the shooter's motive could be. Law enforcement found no manifesto or written statement that could provide insight, Bouchard said. But Nash fired 36 times during the mass shooting, instead of the initial 28 shots reported Saturday, the sheriff said.

“There are still a lot of moving parts,” the sheriff said.

Bouchard said that of the injured, no one was worse as of Monday afternoon.

“At this point, we don't believe anyone is in immediate danger of death,” Bouchard said, “but I don't know if that has been determined medically, and that could change on a moment's notice.”

Bouchard: “I never talk enough about mental health”

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard provides update on splash zone shooting investigation

The forensic doctor shares the result

Nash, 42, is accused of injuring nine people Saturday night at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad along Auburn Road in Rochester Hills.

Police said he drove up to the water cooler in his mother's white car and opened fire with a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun, reloaded, fired and then reloaded for a second times, leaving three bullet magazines at the scene, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. . Authorities recovered 36 bullet casings at the scene; they initially thought 28 shots had been fired.

Nash was later found dead in the home he shared with his mother, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Macomb County medical examiner spokesman Scott Turske said Monday that an autopsy revealed Nash died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Before the shooting, Nash appeared to exhibit some paranoia, telling those close to him to turn off their phones and that people were listening, Bouchard said based on interviews authorities conducted with Nash's relatives. The sheriff said police have spoken to Nash's mother but have now retained an attorney.

“It seems to me, as a layperson, that he had mental health issues,” Bouchard said, adding: “So that's the other message: If you're not someone who's struggling, try to get help.”

Seizure of computer equipment and firearms

Police were unable to uncover any written manifesto or information about the shooter's motivations. They seized a phone, a tablet, a MacBook Pro, two personal computer towers, four USB sticks and two external drives from the scene and so far have found nothing of interest on his phone, said Bouchard.

Police believe the shooter had two handguns on the splash pad, the 9mm semi-automatic handgun recovered at the scene and a Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun. They believe the shooter used to end his life at home. They recovered 10 other guns from the home, a mix of pistols, rifles and shotguns, Bouchard said.

Police have not yet analyzed all of the guns for ownership and acquisition information, but one gun at the scene was purchased legally in 2015 by the shooter, Bouchard said.

Victim describes shooting

Police have yet to formally identify any of the victims, but at least two GoFundMe pages have been set up for the injured, including the Berout family and Eric and Micayla Coughlin.

In a Facebook post, Micayla Coughlin described the shooting. She said that after spending “a lovely sunny Saturday” outside with her family, she and her husband thought it would be fun to eat ice cream and go to the local splash pad.

“Not even a minute after we arrived we heard a loud noise,” she wrote on Facebook. “At first I thought someone had set off fireworks until my husband told me to run.”

Her husband, Eric Coughlin, was holding their 7-month-old child when he was shot in the shin, she wrote.

“Thank God my baby was unharmed. I pulled Luella out of the chair she was in and was shot in the right hand,” she continued. “I then covered my 2-year-old daughter with my body and dragged her to safety. As a result, I was hit five more times. Thank God my little girl remained unharmed, 'except for the cuts on my leg from dragging her I can't understand the evil in this world that would cause someone to shoot at a children's playground. admitted to hospital but stable.

A GoFundMe page aims to raise $75,000 for the Bebout family, members of whom were seriously injured in the shooting. The family's 8-year-old son was shot in the head and his 4-year-old brother was shot in the thigh, according to Bouchard.

The City of Rochester Hills is hosting a fundraiser through the Greater Rochester Community Foundation for community members to safely donate to families affected by the shooting, Mayor Bryan Barnett said during the press conference.

“If the community would like to respond and support, the city provides a safe space to do so on the city’s website through a city-sponsored GoFundMe managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester,” Barnett said. “I don't believe the incident will define our community. I believe our response will.”

Links to the two verified GoFundMe campaigns for individual families are also available on the city's page.

Mental health problems

Bouchard said he was asked what could be done to help. He called for more mental health resources at the state and federal levels, not only for his deputies who have been through “too much,” but also for the community.

The sheriff's office responds to mental health calls almost daily, trying to help people in crisis or those having suicidal thoughts several times a week, he said.

“It's an everyday thing in our communities across this country. There needs to be more emphasis on mental health for the community, more mental health resources with a broader continuum of care, both in hospital and outpatient settings. outpatient,” Bouchard said. “Anyone in Washington or Lansing who asks what they can do to help, that's what they can do. We could use peer to peer resources and programs, mental health resources for community.”

Law enforcement and public safety need more mental health and peer resources within their agencies, Bouchard said. He also encouraged the public to get help if they know someone who is struggling.

“Talk to a mental health professional or your local public safety department so they are aware and may be able to provide you with resources or referrals,” Bouchard said.

[email protected]

The forensic doctor shares the result

Seizure of computer equipment and firearms

Victim describes shooting

Mental health problems

Lina Portman

Related Articles

Deputy shot man after stabbing 2 deputies in Crowley

Israel-Hamas war: UN Security Council adopts ceasefire resolution

The Ride for Missing and Exploited Children | Local

Search continues for missing American on Greek island of Amorgos