In the wake of a shooting at a Rochester Hills splash pad that left nine people injured, local authorities and the community have been grappling with not only grief and shock but also deceit as a fraudulent GoFundMe page was set up, pretending to collect donations for a family supposedly affected by the tragedy. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard condemned the culprits behind the fake fundraiser as "bottom-feeding scumbags," as reported by WWJ Newsradio, and he urged potential donors to verify charities through the Sheriff's Office before contributing.
While the fraudulent GoFundMe, claiming to be for "Kyle J. Thompson, his pregnant wife and children," swiftly collected nearly $20,000 before being deactivated, a spokesperson for GoFundMe stated that "none of the funds were released to the fundraiser organizer, and all donors have been refunded," affirming the platform's commitment to safety and trust, this was stated in a communication shared with Detroit Free Press. On the bright side, legitimate fundraising efforts have been established and confirmed by authorities, including one for Micayla and Eric Coughlin who, according to their GoFundMe page description, were shot multiple times while shielding their children during the gunfire.
As the community recovers from the incident, residents are reaching out with messages of encouragement, as reported by CBS Detroit. It's an attempt to transform a place of joy into a symbol of resilience during such dark times with Stephanie Curry, a local business owner known as the "cookie lady," distributing free cookies to bring some comfort to the gathering at the scene of the shooting, which has left an indelible mark on the Brooklands Plaza Splash Pad community.
Meanwhile, Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett has announced a community fundraising effort, details of which can be found on the city's website, to assist the victims of the shooting, in light of the previous fraudulent activity online, the fundraising efforts will be channeled through the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, and this was mentioned during a news conference covered by the Detroit Free Press. In response to the growing number of GoFundMe campaigns, authorities and platforms like GoFundMe are emphasizing the importance of due diligence and using caution with crowdfunding sites, keen on ensuring that the generosity of the community is not marred by the nefarious actions of a few.
