GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Michigan man fatally shot his wife and six children on Friday and then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, the shootings occurred south of Grand Haven Township. Autopsies revealed that Kristopher Karolkiewicz, 47, shot his family members, WOOD reported.
Deputies said he shot his wife, Amanda Karolkiewicz, 39, and their six children, according to the television station. He then turned the gun on himself and died from a gunshot wound.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy that we may never completely understand why it happened,” Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jacob Sparks said Monday. “But we will do our best to find the answers and to honor the memory of those victims.”
Detectives believe Kristopher Karolkiewicz shot and killed his wife and six children before starting several fires throughout the home and then shooting himself, WXMI reported.
The names of the children were not released by investigators. Four of them were the couple’s biological children, while the other two were adopted, according to the television station. Four of the children were boys, ages 15, 12, 11, and 5; the two girls were both 11 years old.
Autopsies revealed that all eight members of the family died from gunshot wounds, WOOD reported.
Deputies said fires were started in the basement and on the first floor of the residence, according to the television station.
Several family pets, including multiple dogs and at least one cat, also died in the fire, deputies said.
It was unclear what led to the shootings.
“We’re trying to get answers about what happened leading up to the incident,” Sparks told reporters. “We believe this incident could’ve started the night before and then carried over into the early morning hours (of Friday). There were reports of the smell of smoke early in the morning.”
Kristopher Karolkiewicz had worked remotely with the National American Heart Association since September 2023 as a national vice president of sales and marketing, WZZM reported. The company told the television station that his “employment ended” in July 2026.
A family friend, who did not wish to be identified, told the television station that he had been fired.
“As an organization with professional staff who are dedicated to helping others, we are devastated by the news out of Grand Haven, and our thoughts are with the loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragedy,” said the American Heart Association said in a statement, according to WZZM.
Roughly a week before she was killed, Amanda Karolkiewicz posted multiple TikTok videos of a trip she took to China earlier this month with her two adopted daughters, The Detroit News reported.
“What an awesome experience with my precious daughters,” she posted on July 16. “We are so proud of their Chinese heritage.”
The 11-year-old girls were born in China, according to the newspaper. Social media posts showed that the trio returned from China on July 17, the News reported.
Amanda Karolkiewicz’s parents, Steve and Becky Lawwill, released a statement after authorities released her identity, WXMI reported.
“Our daughter Mandy was a kind and devoted soul who loved her family and her students,” they said. “We treasured every moment we had with her and her six children, and words cannot adequately express our devastation.
“We pray for God’s peace and comfort as we grieve their deaths and honor their lives.”
Family members have established a GoFundMe page.
Note: If you or someone you know is thinking of harming themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free support via the Lifeline by dialing 988. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit theorganization’s official website.