Midwest
Michigan splash pad shooter identified as 42-year-old 'loner' going through 'mental health challenges'
The 42-year-old gunman who left nine people injured after opening fire at a children’s splash pad in Michigan over the weekend is now being described by neighbors and officials as a “loner” who was “undergoing some mental health challenges.”
Michael Nash was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Saturday after police traced a firearm recovered at the scene in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills back to a home he shared with his mother in Shelby Township, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. Inside that property, he says investigators found a semi-automatic rifle lying on the kitchen table.
“I believe that because we had quick containment on him, that if he had planned to do anything else – and it wouldn’t surprise me because having that on the kitchen table is not an everyday activity – that there was probably something else, a second chapter, potentially,” Bouchard said during a press conference. “Obviously, we will be looking for any evidence or manifesto or anything that would give us an inclination of what may be driving this individual prior to this terrible moment.”
“It’s our understanding that apparently he was undergoing some mental health challenges, but no one that we are aware of was notified,” Bouchard also said, describing that Nash had no prior criminal history.
MULTIPLE INJURED, INCLUDING 2 CHILDREN, IN MICHIGAN SPLASH PAD SHOOTING
Officials with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Hills Fire Department and other jurisdictions secure the scene of a shooting at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad on Saturday, June 15 in Rochester Hills, Michigan. (Katy Kildee/Detroit News/AP)
Neighbors at the mobile home community where Nash lived told the Macomb Daily newspaper that he was a “loner” who always kept his home’s blinds shut.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office identified Nash as the suspect on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
“My spidey senses tingled whenever I was around him,” one neighbor, who identified herself as Carol, said to the newspaper. “There was something about his demeanor that didn’t set right with me. I didn’t think he was that nuts, but anyone who would shoot a child, something’s wrong with him.”
“We don’t know what his plans were,” another neighbor, Michelle Wheeler, told Macomb Daily. “Some of the neighbors thought maybe he wanted to do something to us, but nobody was around, so he left. Who knows, it could have been one of us that was shot.”
8 INJURED IN MASSACHUSETTS POP-UP PARTY SHOOTING
Police say 28 bullet casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting in Rochester Hills, Michigan, on Saturday. (Daniel Mears/Detroit News/AP)
The developments come as a GoFundMe page identified two of the victims as Micayla and Eric Coughlin, who apparently were shot while trying to protect their daughters, ages 2 and 7 months, on Saturday afternoon.
“Shortly after grabbing ice cream they walked to the splash pad and were not even there for a minute when Micayla and Eric heard gunfire,” the page said. “In an effort to save their children, they each grabbed a child to protect them.”
“In total, Micayla and Eric sustained seven gunshot wounds,” the GoFundMe page added. “They are hospitalized and undergoing necessary treatment. Because of their heroic actions, their children were protected and able to go home that evening.”
Bouchard told reporters Saturday that 28 bullet casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting and that the victims had no known connection to Nash.
Police say there were no connections between suspected shooter Michael Nash and the victims. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)
Two of the victims have been identified as an 8-year-old boy in critical condition and a 4-year-old in stable condition as of Sunday, according to the AP.
Read the full article from Here
South Dakota
South Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) -A South Dakota mom is turning her love of children’s books into hope for kids in foster care.
Elizabeth Heggem started selling children’s books through Paper Pie to build a library for her two sons. She soon thought about how she could make an impact in her community.
“There’s roughly 1,600 kids in foster care in South Dakota right now, and maybe only around 700 homes available. So a lot of these kids have to travel when they’re placed in foster care,” Heggem said. “That’s kind of the goal with this book drive: once they’re placed in care and traveling, they have something to do, they have something to hold on to. And they know that they matter.”
Heggem is partnering with South Dakota Kids Belong for a statewide book drive during National Foster Care Month in May. She launched the campaign online with a goal to get books into the hands of kids the moment they enter care.
What’s in each pack
Each EmpowerME pack includes $50 worth of new, high-quality books, a non-disposable bag the child can keep, and age-appropriate selections designed to provide comfort, encouragement, and entertainment during transitions.
The packs are available in five age categories: 0-2, 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14 and older.
“It’s 35 dollars to sponsor a child. Like I mentioned, with Paper Pie’s match, I’m able to provide 50 dollars worth of high-quality, engaging books, and they also get a bag to keep that’s theirs,” Heggem said.
How to donate
Donors can give online or directly to Heggem via Venmo.
- $35 sponsers one child
- $105 sponsers three children
- $350 sponsers 10 children
The books will be waiting in foster care offices across South Dakota for kids of all ages to grab as they head to a new home.
“Sometimes hope looks like a safe place to land and sometimes it looks like a book in a child’s hand,” Heggem said.
Heggem’s goal is to place 500 book packs in offices statewide.
Those interested in sponsoring a book pack can donate online or via Venmo: @Elizabeth-Heggem.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
Wisconsin
Why pop-up storms happen on hot, humid afternoons in Northeast Wisconsin
(WLUK) — Warm, sunny weather is expected to continue in Northeast Wisconsin’s forecast, but small storm chances can still pop-up as summerlike conditions settle in.
Weather conditions can change quickly this time of year, with summer heat fueling thunderstorms. As temperatures rise, warm and humid air lifts into the atmosphere, eventually cooling and condensing into clouds. That process continues throughout the day, allowing clouds to form thunderstorms.
Often isolated, these storms are often called “pop up storms” because they can form quickly. Unlike larger storm systems typically triggered by fronts or low-pressure systems, pop-up storms are fueled by heat and humidity. The hotter and muggier it is, the more energy is available for storms to develop.
However, not every hot summer day ends up turning stormy, but when heat and humidity are high enough, summer afternoons can quickly shift into thunderstorms.
A forecasts can indicate when conditions are favorable for thunderstorms, but pinpointing the exact location a pop-up storm will form is difficult because of how small and fast they develop.
This leads to sharp differences in the weather over short distances, meaning one neighborhood sees a downpour while another neighborhood just a few miles away stay dry.
The extended forecast often show a scattered storm chance rather than widespread rain to account for the possibility of pop-up storms.
Detroit, MI
Cat rescued from side of Lodge Freeway
-
Rhode Island3 minutes agoMcKee elevates R.I.’s top cannabis administrator as his nominee to chair regulatory commission – The Boston Globe
-
South-Carolina9 minutes agoSouth Carolina Research Authority announces funding opportunity for rural healthcare tech startups
-
South Dakota15 minutes agoSouth Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children
-
Tennessee21 minutes agoTennessee man sentenced to 30 years for sexually exploiting 14-year-old girl in Colombia
-
Texas27 minutes agoGarland mural celebrates history of The Flats
-
Utah33 minutes agoRep. Maloy honors the Utah soldiers behind Korean War ‘miracle’ on 75th anniversary
-
Vermont39 minutes agoAs Vermont legislative session stretches on, adjournment is a moving target – VTDigger
-
Virginia45 minutes agoHitachi Energy contacts Virginia DEQ after dealing with small oil spill