ROCHESTER HILLS, Michigan — Eight people were injured after a shooter opened fire at a splash pad in a Detroit suburb where families gathered to escape the summer heat Saturday, authorities said. Law enforcement tracked a suspect to a home, where the person died by suicide.

At least two of the victims were children, officials said. Authorities initially said they believed as many as 10 people had gunshot wounds from the shooting in Rochester Hills, but that number was lowered later on after they checked with area hospitals.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said a suspect was contained in a home nearby, and law enforcement had it surrounded. Rochester police announced Saturday night that the person took their own life.

The shooting happened just after 5 p.m. at a city park featuring a recreation area with a non-slip surface where people can turn on sprays and fountains of water to play in. Bouchard said it the shooting appeared to be random, with the shooter driving up to the park, walking to the splash pad and firing as many as 28 times, stopping multiple times to reload.

A handgun and three empty magazines were recovered, the sheriff said.

Police cordoned off the scene of the shooting with tape, and dozens of yellow evidence markers lay on on the ground among colorful folding chairs.

In a social media post, authorities said there was still an active crime scene and asked people to avoid the area. Bouchard said it was safe for those sheltering in the park to head home.

It was not immediately clear if other people or weapons were inside the home with the possible suspect, Bouchard said, and law enforcement officials were trying to make contact with him.

The victims were taken to hospitals, and their conditions were not immediately known.

Police heard the 911 call reporting the shooting as it came in, Bouchard said, because the agency uses a service that simultaneously sends emergency calls to first responders. An officer was at the scene within two minutes, he said.

Rochester Hills is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Oxford, where in 2021 a 15-year-old fatally shot four high school students.

Saturday’s shooting came at the end of the first full week of summer vacation for students attending Rochester Community schools.

Bouchard called it “a gut punch” for the county.

“We’ve gone through so many tragedies,” the sheriff said. “You know, we’re not even fully comprehending what happened at Oxford. And, you know, now we have another complete tragedy that we’re dealing with.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on the social platform X that she was heartbroken to learn of the shooting and was in touch with local officials.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Multiple victims of the May 16 storm tell Eyewitness News they’re still waiting on the FEMA money that was promised to them.

A tree brought down the brick wall that runs along a man’s northwest Harris County yard.

“I have a wall that’s knocked off. I got some holes in my roof,” Ron Hale, a victim of May’s severe storms across southeast Texas, said.

The winds toppled a fence in Kyndra Snoddy’s house.

Both Snoddy and Hale applied for and were approved for $750 in FEMA assistance in May.

But two weeks into June, they say they still haven’t received the money.

SEE ALSO: If FEMA’s assistance doesn’t arrive on time, what should you do during hurricane season?

“Just been calling and calling and calling the FEMA hotline. They’re really no help,” Snoddy said.

FEMA told Eyewitness News that the Texas Department of Health and Human Services is handling the payments. A call and email to the agency went unreturned Friday.

Meanwhile, at least one woman had no trouble getting FEMA money.

This week, Khalia Douglas pleaded guilty to filing eight fraudulent FEMA applications and a bunch of fraudulent PPP loan applications for herself and others.

The fraud totaled more than $500,000, although just over $350,000 was approved.

“People who are gaming the system, special place in – the downstairs place for those types of people,” Hale said.

Prosecutors say Douglas advertised what she was doing on Instagram and offered to do it for others for a fee.

“$100 upfront to process your application,” one post read.

A 2020 Department of Homeland Security audit found FEMA lost $3 billion to potential fraud from 2003 to 2018. That’s $200 million per year.

SEE MORE: FEMA facing $1.3B budget shortfall due to damaging weather in Houston and across US

It comes as the agency is forecasting a $6.2 billion deficit.

“You’re taking away from people who actually need the help,” Hale said.

Snoddy said she needs the help now even more than she did the day her fence came down. Not long after the storm, she lost her job.

“I’m looking for work right now, but in the meantime, I really do need the funds to help pay for the rent. The rent is behind,” Snoddy said.

Houston, TX (AP) — Alex Jones, a notorious conspiracy theorist, has been mandated to liquidate his personal assets to pay $1.5 billion in damages for his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which resulted in the deaths of 20 first graders and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut.

The future of Jones’ Infowars media platform, which has been a financial powerhouse linking him to far-right figures, celebrities, and politicians, remains uncertain. On Friday, a federal bankruptcy judge ordered the asset liquidation and dismissed a separate bankruptcy case involving Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems.

Despite predicting the imminent end of Infowars before the hearing, Jones seemed optimistic afterwards. He called into an Infowars show, declaring, “The bizarre political attempts to hijack the operation have failed,” while smiling as he exited the courthouse.

The legal battle over Jones’ assets escalated after he and Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy in 2022. This filing came after defamation lawsuit judgments by Sandy Hook victims’ families awarded them more than $1.4 billion in Connecticut and $49 million in Texas.

Background on Alex Jones and Infowars

Alex Jones, a Texas native known for his gravelly voice and bombastic style, has propagated numerous conspiracy theories, including claims about the 9/11 attacks and a purported U.N. depopulation effort. Jones began his career on a public-access television channel in the 1990s and later started Infowars after being fired from a local radio station. His media empire grew significantly, employing 60 people by 2010, and is supported largely by sales of dietary supplements.

Despite the massive debt, both Jones and the lawyers for the Sandy Hook families anticipate that Infowars may eventually cease operations.

The Sandy Hook Controversy

Shortly after the Sandy Hook shooting, Jones falsely claimed it was a hoax. This led to years of harassment for the victims’ families by people who believed his lies. In response, the families filed lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas. Jones acknowledged in 2022 that the shooting was real and that his hoax claims were “irresponsible.”

Jones’ Financial Situation

Court filings reveal Jones has about $9 million in personal assets, with his $2.6 million Austin home and some other belongings protected from liquidation. He has also begun selling his Texas ranch and other assets. The families have a pending lawsuit in Texas accusing Jones of illegally hiding millions of dollars, which he denies.

Future Prospects for Infowars

The fate of Free Speech Systems and Infowars is unclear. The Sandy Hook families could request the bankruptcy court to liquidate the company as part of Jones’ personal case. A trustee appointed in Jones’ bankruptcy case now controls his assets, including Infowars.

Chris Mattei, a lawyer for the families, stated that Infowars is “soon-to-be defunct,” calling Friday “a good day” for the victims’ families. However, Jones remains defiant, saying, “I have not given up. I’m fighting.”