Heroic Parents Shield Children During Michigan Splash Park Shooting
A couple in Michigan displayed incredible bravery when they shielded their two young daughters during a horrific shooting at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad on Saturday. Micayla and Eric Coughlin were among nine victims shot at the popular summer spot, according to family members.
The Coughlins had just arrived at the splash pad with their 2-year-old and 7-month-old daughters when shots rang out around 5 p.m. “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,” a family friend wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to support the couple. “In an effort to save their children, they each grabbed a child to protect them.”
Micayla and Eric were shot a combined seven times but managed to protect their daughters, who were unharmed and able to go home that evening. The couple, residents of Rochester, were rushed to the hospital and are now undergoing treatment for their injuries. “Because of their heroic actions, their children were protected and able to go home that evening,” the family friend added on the GoFundMe page. As of Sunday night, the fundraiser had raised more than $20,000.
The shooter, identified as 42-year-old Michael William Nash, wounded seven others before taking his own life during a standoff with police. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard reported that an 8-year-old boy was critically injured after being shot in the head, while a 4-year-old boy, who is a younger relative, was shot in the thigh and is in stable condition.
A 39-year-old woman related to the two boys was also critically injured, having been shot in the legs and abdomen. Other victims included a 78-year-old man and several others aged 30 and older, all of whom are reported to be in stable condition.