At least nine individuals, including two children and their mother, were injured in a shooting at a public water park in Michigan, according to authority reports.

The gunman opened fire at a splash pad in a suburban area of Detroit on Saturday, where families had gathered to cool off during the summer.

According to police, who classified the occurrence as a random shooting, the assailant was located in a residence, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

An eight-year-old child is in critical condition after being shot in the head.

The mother of the boy is also in critical condition, having sustained injuries to her abdomen and leg, while his four-year-old sibling is in stable condition with a leg injury.

Other victims, all aged 30 or older, are in stable condition. The injured include a woman and her husband, as well as a 78-year-old man.

The incident took place at approximately 5pm (21:00 GMT) when the attacker stepped out of a car in front of the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad park in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and began firing approximately 30 shots from a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, reloading several times, said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard during a press briefing.

An active shooter incident occurred at the splash pad on Auburn in Rochester Hills. It is still an active crime scene, and we believe the suspect is contained nearby. We request people stay away from the area for now. Numerous injuries have been reported. More details to follow.

— Mike Bouchard (@MikeJBouchard) June 15, 2024

One witness claimed the shooter used two pistols during the assault, though this has not yet been verified.

“People were collapsing, getting hit, attempting to flee,” Bouchard stated. “It’s a horrific sight that, regrettably, our law enforcement is far too familiar with.”

The shooter appeared unhurried. "Just calmly walked back to his vehicle," added the sheriff.

‘Tragedy’

The suspect was not a resident of Rochester Hills, and investigators are unsure why he targeted the splash pad.

Bouchard remarked that the attack seemed to be indiscriminate.

The identity of the suspect was not disclosed, but police described him as a 42-year-old white male who they believe lived with his mother.

The man had no previous interactions with law enforcement or criminal record, according to Bouchard. “It appears he had mental health issues, but no reports had been made to us,” the sheriff stated. He did not provide further details concerning the man's mental health history.

At the scene, authorities recovered a handgun, three empty magazines, and 28 used shell casings. At the suspect's home, they also found a semiautomatic rifle and another handgun, presumed to be the firearm used for his suicide.

Rochester Hills is situated around 30 miles (50km) north of Detroit.

Oxford Township, a neighboring area in Oakland County, was the site of a 2021 school shooting where a student named Ethan Crumbley, then 15, fatally shot four students and injured six others, along with a teacher, at Oxford High School.

The Oxford Resiliency Center, created to support those affected by the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, is still operational and available to assist community members, per police statements.

“Our most sincere hope is for all injured individuals to have a rapid recovery,” Bouchard expressed. “None of us anticipated beginning Father’s Day weekend with such a tragedy that will have a lasting impact on families.”