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 a swat team was being assembled.
“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.”
Stephen Huber, a spokesman for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed at least five people were shot, but he did not know whether there were any fatalities.
“We don’t know a lot yet,” Huber told The Detroit News. “It’s five shot and maybe six.”
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.
The whereabouts of the shooter were unclear at 6:45 p.m.
“We don’t know if there are any fatals, the conditions of victims, if they’re male, female, adults or children,” Huber added.
This is a developing story. Return to detroitnews.com later for updates.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
