Rochester Hills — As many as ten people were shot at a splash pad in Rochester Hills around 5 p.m. Saturday after a “random” gunman got out of a vehicle and unloaded 28 gunshots from a handgun at the streetside park, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
The shooting occurred at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad, 1585 E. Auburn Road, in Rochester Hills, according to the Rochester Police Department and Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
The gunman drove up to the water park, got out of a vehicle, opened fire with a 9mm Glock semi-automatic handgun, reloaded, fired and then reloaded a second time, leaving three bullet magazines at the scene, Bouchard said.
Police later recovered the handgun and magazines, Bouchard said.
Addressing reporters at 7:30 p.m. near the Rochester Hills park, Bouchard said there were nine or ten shooting victims.
Bouchard said the gunman was contained in a home a half mile away from the park and that police were assembling a SWAT team.
“It’s a gut punch, obviously, for us here in Oakland County,” Bouchard said, referencing the November 2021 deadly mass shooting at Oxford High School. “We’ve gone through so many tragedies, you know, we’re not even fully comprehending what happened at Oxford.”
Police determined a suspect from evidence on the scene quickly, Bouchard said. Officials do not know if there is anyone in the home with the gunman, he said.
In neighboring Shelby Township, multiple police vehicles were assembled along Hamlin Road and Dequindre Road around 8 p.m. near a residential area less than two miles from the splash pad park in Rochester Hills.
Stephen Huber, a spokesman for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, said earlier in the evening there were initially five or six shooting victims, but he did not know whether there were any fatalities.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office issued an emergency alert Saturday evening warning residents in Rochester Hills of an “active shooter located near Spencer Park” and urging them to “AVOID area and SEEK shelter.”
The city-run splash pad faces Auburn Road and located between a T-Mobile cell phone store and Mozzarella’s, a pizzeria, west of the plaza. Streets in the vicinity of the splash pad park were closed by police and emergency personnel Saturday evening.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was leading the investigation as it provides police coverage to the city of Rochester Hills.
“We don’t know if there are any fatals, the conditions of victims, if they’re male, female, adults or children,” Huber added.
Several political leaders reacted Saturday evening to news of the shooting.
“I am heartbroken to learn about the shooting in Rochester Hills,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on X, formerly Twitter.
U.S. Rep. John James, a Republican who lives in Shelby Township, joined Bouchard at his press briefing and was seen on the scene earlier in the evening, along with Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett.
This is a developing story. Return to detroitnews.com later for updates.
Elaine Hadley is a dedicated journalist covering the ever-evolving landscape of U.S. news. With a keen interest in politics and a commitment to uncovering the truth, she provides insightful commentary and in-depth analysis on domestic issues. When not reporting, Elaine enjoys exploring the diverse cultures and landscapes of the United States.
