In the summer of 2026, the quiet community of Lake City, Michigan, was shattered by a tragic and violent event that claimed the life of 45-year-old Shane Justice McGowan. On the morning of August 14, McGowan was fatally shot at a residence on South LaChance Road in what would unfold as a multi-location shooting spree. He was not the sole victim at this location; with him were his girlfriend, 40-year-old Amanda Everitt, and her 16-year-old son, Eric Thomas, who were also killed.
A lone survivor, Everitt's 13-year-old daughter, Bella, was critically injured with four gunshot wounds but managed to make a harrowing 911 call that alerted authorities and identified the shooter.
The suspect in this devastating series of events was identified as 39-year-old Chad Hickman of Lake City. Hickman was reportedly an acquaintance of McGowan. After the initial shootings, Hickman fled the scene, prompting a large-scale manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, who cautioned the public that he was armed and dangerous. The investigation revealed that Hickman's violent rampage extended beyond the LaChance Road home. He was also responsible for the death of 53-year-old John Schwartz at a separate location in Missaukee County.
The search for Hickman concluded when his body was discovered in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake. Alongside him was the body of another victim, 29-year-old Heather Schwartz, who was identified as Hickman's half-sister. It was determined that Hickman died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the total death toll to six, including the perpetrator. The motive for this tragic murder spree remains unclear to investigators. The case is a somber reminder of a day of profound loss for the Lake City community, concluding not with a trial and conviction, but with the death of the man responsible for the violence.
