A 13-year-old girl identified as Bella miraculously survived four gunshot wounds and managed to call 911 during a deadly rampage in Michigan.
Bella, 13, was shot four times by Chad Hickman, 39, during his killing spree across Lake Township on Friday, yet still reached for a phone around 11:40 a.m. To alert authorities, police and family members said. She remains the sole surviving victim of the massacre that left five people dead.
Police have officially identified the slain victims only as a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy, withholding their names pending further investigation. The Everitt family took to social media to identify two of the dead as Amanda Everitt, 40, and her son Eric, 16.
David Everitt, who identified himself as Amanda’s father and Bella’s grandfather, posted about the tragedy on Facebook on Saturday. He named the shooter and described his granddaughter’s extraordinary actions under extreme duress.
“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 on Facebook. “This was a cowardly act by a evil person and i hope hell gives him his due.”
David Everitt continued his post by highlighting Bella’s bravery in the face of mortal danger. She had witnessed Hickman kill her mother and brother before being shot herself.
“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.”
Hickman, the 39-year-old gunman, killed five people in Lake Township before authorities found him dead in a wooded area. Police had earlier identified him as a person of interest and warned that he could be armed and dangerous.
In the viral moment that preceded the family’s social media statements, Hickman carried out a shooting spree across Missaukee County that ended with six people dead including himself. Bella was the only person to survive his attacks, and her 911 call provided crucial information to law enforcement despite her severe injuries.
Bella was rushed to a hospital in Grand Rapids where she was described as clinging to life. The community and family members have rallied around her, praising her courage for calling 911 while suffering from four gunshot wounds and witnessing the murders of her closest family members.