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Exclusive | Hero survivor, 13, of Michigan maniac’s shooting spree called 911 despite being shot several times: police, family

Nypost · · 649 words · By Katherine Donlevy
Domestic violence and divorce Heroism of the survivor Criminal history of the perpetrator
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Hero survivor, 13, of Michigan maniac’s shooting spree called 911 despite being shot several times: police, family See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 16
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left20%
Center60%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Hero survivor, 13, of Michigan maniac’s shooting spree called 911 despite being shot several times: police, family See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google A heroic 13-year-old girl survived four gunshot wounds and desperately phoned 911 during Chad Hickman’s deadly rampage in Michigan Friday, police and friends said.

Common ground

The young survivor — identified as “Bella” in a Facebook post Saturday by David Everitt, a person claiming to be her grandfather — miraculously reached for the phone to alert authorities around 11:40 a.m.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/15/us-news/13-year-old-survivor-of-michigan-maniacs-s…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 100% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 90% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 6
check_circle Corroborated 6
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “He was only convicted of fourth-degree child abuse and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sentenced to a year in the county jail”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 2: “The probe is being led by the Michigan State police”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 3: “identifying two victims as Amanda Everitt, 40, and her son, 16-year-old Eric”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (AOL, web search) identify the victims as Amanda Everitt (40) and her son Eric (16).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On August 14, 2026, five people were killed and one other person was critically injured during a spree shooting at three different locations in Missaukee County, Michigan, United States. The police be…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Missaukee_County_shooting…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Marcus Tullius Cicero ( SISS-ər-oh, Classical Latin: [ˈmaːrkʊs ˈtʊlli.ʊs ˈkɪkɛroː]; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, and writer who tri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Waylon Arnold Jennings (born Wayland Arnold Jennings, June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is considered one of the pioneers of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waylon_Jennings
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 4: “He then went into a wooded area near Whitlock Lake with his final victim, a 29-year-old unidentified female, whose body was found alongside his”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 5: “A heroic 13-year-old girl survived four gunshot wounds and desperately phoned 911 during Chad Hickman’s deadly rampage in Michigan Friday”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm a 13-year-old girl survived four gunshot wounds and called 911 during Chad Hickman's shooting spree on August 14.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 census, it is the state's most populous city. Located in the state'…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapolis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In January–February 2026, protests occurred throughout the United States in response to the shootings by immigration agents in the second Trump administration, most notably the killing of Renée Good a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_U.S._immigration_enforcem…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable individuals who come from the state of Illinois, a state within the larger United States of America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Illinois
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 6: “The deranged gunman heinously killed five people in Missaukee County’s Lake Township before turning up dead in a wooded area”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia specifically documents the '2026 Missaukee County shootings' stating five people were killed in Missaukee County, Michigan, and the shooter was later found dead.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On August 14, 2026, five people were killed and one other person was critically injured during a spree shooting at three different locations in Missaukee County, Michigan, United States. The police be…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Missaukee_County_shooting…
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web search NEUTRAL — Toggle the table of contents Chad(slang)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_(slang)
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web search NEUTRAL — additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Useand Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Chad
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 7: “Hickman, 39, kill her mother and brother in their South LaChance Road home”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm Chad Hickman (39) is the suspect and that victims (including a woman and a 16-year-old boy) were found at a home on South LaChance Road.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2024 in film is an overview of events, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, critics' lists of the best films of 2024, festivals, a list of country-specific lists of films released, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_in_film
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On August 14, 2026, five people were killed and one other person was critically injured during a spree shooting at three different locations in Missaukee County, Michigan, United States. The police be…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Missaukee_County_shooting…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following notable deaths in the United States occurred in 2026. Names are reported under the date of death, in alphabetical order. A typical entry reports information in the following sequence: Na…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_deaths_in_the_United_Stat…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 8: “The teen was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but has since been stabilized, police announced Saturday”
CORROBORATED
Web search results from Michigan State Police and other reports confirm the 13-year-old survivor was hospitalized and later described as being in stable condition.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A 13-year-old has survived days at the bottom of a ravine without food or water. But his fight isn't over. He remains hospitalized in critical condition from his brush with death. Dakota "Cody" Trenkl…
https://www.wideopenspaces.com/13-year-old-fighting-for-his-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Deputies found Crystal Kenney dead and a 13-year-old girl shot in the face and shoulder; an infant was discovered unharmed in a crib. The 13-year-old is hospitalized in critical but stable condition a…
https://particle.news/story/florida-man-kills-wife-shoots-13…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized in "critical condition" on Sunday, according to his spokesperson and President Donald Trump, writing on social media.13-year-old was driving s…
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/ru…
help
Claim 9: “Hickman appeared to be living on another property on Bagley Street”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding a property on Bagley Street.
schedule
Claim 10: “Missaukee County has a population of 15,274, according to a 2025 US Census Bureau estimate”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 11: “Police have only identified the victims in that house — the first of Hickman’s three murder hits — as a 45-year-old man, 40-year-old woman and 16-year-old boy”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Michigan State Police reports via web search, identify the victims at the South LaChance Road address as a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman, and a 16-year-old boy.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient (Haley Joel Osment) claims he can…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sixth_Sense
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 12: “Hickman was charged with four felony and five misdemeanor charges, including assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder by strangulation and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “had a hearing for the case scheduled for Sept. 1, court records show”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 14: “Hickman killed a 53-year-old unidentified man at another home in Missaukee County”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results specifically confirming the death of an unidentified 53-year-old man at a second home.
info
Claim 15: “records show that both parties owned homes just half a mile away from one another on the same stretch of South LaChance Road”
SINGLE SOURCE
While multiple sources confirm both the shooter and the victims were associated with South LaChance Road, the specific detail that they lived 'half a mile away from one another' is not explicitly corroborated across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Chad Hickman, 39, of Lake City, is suspected of killing five people, then himself, in attacks at three locations in Missaukee County. A 13-year-old girl, reportedly the first to alert police to the sh…
https://www.freep.com/story/news/crime/2026/08/20/final-miss…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The home of suspected mass shooter Chad Hickman on South LaChance Road is pictured on Sunday, Aug. 16 in Missaukee County. (Adam Vander Kooy, Detroit Free Press). On Sunday afternoon, Bella's family i…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/northern-michigan-sho…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Troopers responded to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township at about 11:40 a.m. after receiving a report of a shooting. They found three people dead and another person critically injured. The…
https://www.presstv.co.uk/Detail/2026/08/15/774377/Michigan-…
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Claim 16: “the gunman — who had a prior conviction for child abuse and several allegations of domestic violence lodged against him”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources confirm Chad Hickman had a prior conviction for child abuse and allegations of domestic violence.
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web search NEUTRAL — Hickman had a prior conviction for child abuse and faced domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife, Katie, who detailed a toxic marriage.
https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2026/08/15/michigan-mass-s…
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web search NEUTRAL — Alleged Michigan shooter Chad Hickman had a history of violence, including a child abuse conviction and domestic violence allegations. A neighbor also described Chad as "extremely aggressive" and said…
https://nz.news.yahoo.com/mich-man-allegedly-killed-5-192200…
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web search NEUTRAL — Chad Hickman pleaded guilty to child abuse in 2024.Court records show Chad Hickman, 39, of Lake City had a criminal conviction for child abuse and a stormy divorce with accusations of domestic abuse.
https://www.petoskeynews.com/story/news/local/2026/08/15/cha…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.