Water Damage Restoration in Rochester Hills, MI

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – Sunday marks one year since the shooting at a Rochester Hills splash pad.

Nine people, including two children, were hurt when the shooter opened fire on families at Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad on June 15, 2024. That shooter then took his own life.

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett joined Local 4 Live on Thursday morning and discussed how the community healed following the shooting.

You can watch the full interview at the beginning of this article.

In the interview, Barnett recalled how he felt and what he saw the day of the shooting.

“The first reaction I had was that incident, that terrible incident, wasn’t going to define our community, but our response would,” he said.

Following the shooting, he said the community, specifically the neighborhood near the splash pad, stepped in to help and offered to contribute in any way possible.

“Resiliency was on display within hours,” he said.

Barnett said people were going out and contributing in any way possible.

“It took tragedy, and it turned it into a lot of brilliant moments in a community and what could have been a dark scar for a long time,” he said.

Barnett said the city won’t host anything at the splash pad on Sunday, but there will be “a recognition of resiliency in the neighborhood in the coming months.”

Barnett explained in the interview that he got help from mental health experts following the shooting so the city could have recommendations on what the next steps would be towards recovery, as opposed to creating political statements.

He then said he was there when the splash pad reopened about a month after the shooting and spoke with a mother who brought her young child there.

“She said it was important for her to bring her young daughter to be there to show that good things can happen following tragedy. I thought, what an amazing lesson,” he said.

“Gun violence is awful. It changes a community. One year later, I look at the way our community responded, I couldn’t be more happy to be a part of this community. Rochester Hills is resilient,” said Barnett. “I’m proud where our community is one year later.”

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — Oakland County sheriff's officials received a national award for their quick response that saved lives in a random Rochester Hills shooting last year.

The agency and the Rochester Hills Fire Department were given the Captain Frank Butler Casualty Care Award for their efforts during the June 15, 2024, shooting at the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad.

The award was presented last week at the annual North American Active Assailant Conference in Troy.

The award noted that there were five tourniquets applied to victims during the emergency response to the shooting – four by Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Joe Ashley. Three children were among the victims. The gunman, a 42-year-old Shelby Township man, shot himself to death shortly after the shooting.

The conference is the largest event in the world dedicated to improving emergency response to active violence. The conference focuses on firsthand debriefings of past tragedies by representatives of the lead public safety agencies involved.

Find out what's happening in Rochester-Rochester Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

There were more than 1,500 people who attended the conference. Sheriff Michael Bouchard was among the featured speakers.

"I am incredibly proud of our team members and partners with the Rochester Hills Fire Department," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "Their actions, in my opinion, saved lives on that fateful day. We hope and pray to never experience such tragic events, but in our line of work, that is not a viable strategy; preparation is our strategy. In this instance, it proved its worth."

The award is named after Captain Butler, a medical doctor and a U.S. Navy SEAL who is recognized as the father of tactical combat casualty care.

ROCHESTER HILLS — A measles exposure site has been confirmed in Rochester Hills, according to the Oakland County Health Division.

Officials say anyone who visited the medical office building at 3950 S. Rochester Road, near South Boulevard, between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. June 3 may have been exposed.

At press time, Oakland County had one confirmed case of measles so far this year, while Michigan had 10 confirmed cases of measles, according to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services dashboard last updated June 2.

“We’re ready for the next cases, because they are coming,” said Kate Guzman, a registered nurse and public health administrator for Oakland County. “Measles is sweeping across the nation. The peak of the cases in the southwest seems to be subsiding, but we still have cases moving across the country. And it is not just limited to nationwide. It’s a global outbreak between travel within the United States, travel internationally, and travel within our state, so we’re definitely expecting more cases of measles in Oakland County.”

Measles can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room.

High-risk individuals — including those who are pregnant, unvaccinated children under age 5 and those who have a weakened immune system — who believe they were exposed can seek immune globulin treatment, which health division officials said is effective only if administered within six days of exposure.

Oakland County spokesperson Bill Mullan said those not at high risk should monitor for symptoms for 21 days — through June 24. If symptoms develop, they should call ahead before seeking medical attention.

“If people are going to the doctor, they should call them ahead of time to let them know they are concerned about exposure to measles. That way, preparations can be made for their visit at the doctor’s office,” Mullan explained.

Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure. In mild cases, measles involves high fever, cough, runny nose and, at times, a raised body rash, which will start at the head and face and then move to the rest of the body. The disease, Guzman explained, can also result in serious complications, including hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.

Measles is preventable with a vaccine, but health officials say vaccination rates have declined in Michigan and the U.S.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in all vaccinations post COVID-19 pandemic,” said Guzman. “At the root of the measles cases we are seeing across the county is really a decline in vaccination rates for all types of vaccine preventable diseases. We usually look at measles as that canary in the coalmine that is an indicator for us that something is falling apart in the public health system, AKA, the vaccine protection that we build as communities. Measles outbreaks are the first, because it is so infectious. The fear, in public health, is that we will see more vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise as well.”

The health division recommends unvaccinated individuals ages 1 and older receive measles vaccination. Anyone who doesn’t have a record of two MMR vaccines, those unsure if they’ve been vaccinated, or those who are unsure if they’ve had measles in the past, should contact their health care provider.

“Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is highly efficient at protecting individuals and preventing outbreaks. We urge Michigan residents, especially those planning to travel, to check their vaccination status and get the MMR vaccine if needed. Contact your health care provider as soon as possible if symptoms develop,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services chief medical executive, said in a statement.

The county health division can administer the MMR vaccine at its health centers in Pontiac and Southfield.

The Oakland County Health Division’s Nurse on Call can be reached 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at (800) 848-5533 or by email at noc@oakgov.com.

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — Health officials have confirmed a measles exposure site in Oakland County.

Anyone who visited the medical office building at 3950 S. Rochester Rd., in Rochester Hills, on the corner of Rochester Road and South Boulevard on Tuesday, June 3, between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles, officials said.

Health officials encouraged people who think they may have been exposed to take the Immune Globulin (IG) treatment, which is effective within six days of exposure for high-risk individuals.

High-risk individuals include those who are pregnant, unvaccinated children under age 5 and those who have a weakened immune system due to illness and disease, including diabetes or HIV, malnutrition and/or medications.

If you are not eligible for IG, officials said to monitor symptoms through June 24.

If symptoms develop, call ahead to your health care provider. Individuals born in or before 1957 are considered immune.

The exposure comes amid what health officials are calling one of the worst years for measles in decades in Michigan. Michigan has had 10 confirmed cases of measles this year, according to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services dashboard last updated June 2.

Officials say measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air. Anyone who is not immune to measles is at risk.

Symptoms of measles usually begin within seven to 14 days after exposure and can appear up to 21 days after exposure. They include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, tiny white spots on the inner cheeks and rashes.

If symptoms develop, residents are urged to not visit their doctor or emergency room unless they have called ahead so facilities can take precautions to prevent exposure to other people.

Officials say the best protection against measles is the MMR vaccine, which provides long-lasting protection against the virus. They strongly encourage individuals ages 1 year and older who have not received the MMR vaccine to protect themselves and others.

Vaccines are available at your doctor’s office, most pharmacies and your local health department. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program can receive no-cost vaccination from a provider enrolled in that program.

People who visited a Rochester Hills medical office building last week may have been exposed to measles, the Oakland County Health Division warned.

Anyone who visited the medical office building at 3950 South Rochester Road between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on June 3 may have been exposed, the division said in a Friday press release.

People who are considered high-risk — such as pregnant women, unvaccinated children under 5 and people with weakened immune systems — can seek immune globulin treatment, which is effective if administered within six days of exposure, the health division said. People who were exposed but are not high-risk should monitor for symptoms through June 24. If symptoms develop, they should call their health care provider.

Anyone who is unsure if they have been fully vaccinated or if they have had measles in the past also should contact their health care provider, the division said. The county health division can administer the vaccine at its health centers in Pontiac and Southfield.

The exposures are a continuation of what is becoming one of Michigan's worst years for the disease.

Michigan has had 10 confirmed cases of measles this year, according to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services dashboard last updated June 2. The state health department is monitoring for spread of the virus in the eastern Upper Peninsula, where people with measles may have exposed others.

Nationwide, there have been 1,168 measles cases in the U.S. so far in 2025, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which updated its figures on June 6. There have been three confirmed deaths.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air. The virus can live in the air for up to two hours.

Symptoms of measles include high fever, coughing, a runny nose, conjunctivitis, a splotchy red rash and tiny white spots in the mouth. They typically take seven to 14 days to appear, but could take up to 21 days after exposure.

Measles is easily preventable with a vaccine, but vaccination rates have declined in Michigan and the U.S., particularly since the coronavirus pandemic. During an April interview, Michigan's Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said misinformation and disinformation about the vaccines and a dearth of public health resources also are factors contributing to the uptick in measles cases.

The number of cases nationwide this year marks a vast increase compared to recent years, CDC data shows.

"I think it's really unfortunate that we also are seeing a lack of, or change in, federal guidance and attitude around communicable diseases, at the same time that all of this is happening," Bagdasarian said in April. "We've seen a shuffling of information on the website with a more prominent role of advice about Vitamin A, rather than advice about vaccines, which we know are the single greatest preventative measure we have for diseases like measles."

The Kent and Allegan county health departments also are warning residents about multiple measles exposure sites in west Michigan.

People may have been exposed at Coachmen Strength & Conditioning in Byron Center on June 2, University of Michigan Health West in Wyoming on June 4 and University of Michigan Health West Southwest Health Center in Wyoming on June 4.

ckthompson@detroitnews.com