A 13-year-old girl in rural Michigan demonstrated extraordinary courage on Friday by calling 911 after sustaining four gunshot wounds during a horrific rampage that claimed the lives of five people, including her mother and brother, according to state police and family statements reported by the New York Post. The young survivor, identified as Bella by a person claiming to be her grandfather on social media, dialed emergency services around 11:40 a.m. from a home on South LaChance Road in Missaukee County’s Lake Township. Her swift call not only brought immediate first responders to the scene but also sparked the vital manhunt for the gunman, 39-year-old Chad Hickman.
The Unfolding Terror on South LaChance Road
The bloodshed began at a residence on South LaChance Road, where Hickman targeted a family of three. According to Michigan State Police, the victims in that initial home included a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman, and a 16-year-old boy. Family members later identified the mother and son as Amanda Everitt, 40, and her 16-year-old son, Eric, via tributes posted to Facebook by David Everitt, who identified himself as Amanda’s father. While Amanda and Eric succumbed to their injuries, 13-year-old Bella managed to reach for a telephone despite severe wounds.
“Amanda and her son eric went home to be with god and our granddaughter Bella is clinging to life in a Grand Rapids hospital,” David Everitt wrote in his social media tribute. He added, “God be with you Amanda and Eric and prayers for Bella who while shot 4 times still managed to call 911 and identify the shooter. She is a hero.” Rushed to a hospital in critical condition, the teenager was later stabilized, police announced Saturday.
A Wider Trail of Destruction Across Missaukee County
The violence did not stop at the Everitt residence in Lake Township, a rural community of roughly 15,274 residents according to 2025 U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Investigators determined that Hickman moved on to another property in Missaukee County, where he killed a 53-year-old unidentified man. Records show that Hickman and the Everitt family owned homes half a mile away from one another on the same stretch of South LaChance Road.
The rampage finally concluded in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake. Police discovered the body of Hickman’s final victim—an unidentified 29-year-old female—lying alongside the gunman, who was also found dead. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether Hickman took his own life, and the motive for the bloodshed remains a mystery.
Uncovering a History of Domestic Volatility
As investigators piece together the timeline of Friday’s tragedy, public records and statements from those who knew Hickman reveal a troubled history. Katie Frye, Hickman’s ex-wife, spoke publicly about the gunman’s background and hailed the survivor as a hero. Frye noted that the call ignited the manhunt for the gunman—who had a prior conviction for child abuse and several allegations of domestic violence lodged against him.
Court filings from Hickman’s divorce proceedings paint a picture of a volatile environment. Divorce documents show that Frye alleged her ex-husband was inherently violent during their 12-year marriage, characterizing the relationship as one defined by control, coercion, and fear. A presiding judge agreed, writing in an October filing that the couple’s relationship was defined by volatility. Hickman and his ex-wife Katie Frye had split their assets upon their divorce.
Community Resilience and the Road to Recovery
In the wake of the tragedy, tributes have poured in for the victims and for Bella. Law enforcement continues to process multiple crime scenes, including a property on Bagley Street that police had cordoned off and were investigating Saturday.
As Bella continues her recovery in a Grand Rapids medical facility, the investigation is being led by the Michigan State police.
