DETROIT — A judge has given the green light for a $13 million settlement concerning a lawsuit related to an unannounced active shooter drill that occurred at a psychiatric facility for children in Michigan. This event, which took place at the Hawthorn Center located in the suburbs of Detroit, sent both children and staff into a panic, leading them to seek refuge, notify their families, and urgently contact 911 for help.
During the incident on December 21, 2022, an announcement was made over the facility’s speaker system falsely claiming that there were armed individuals inside the hospital and that gunshots had been fired, as stated by attorney Robin Wagner. This alarming message triggered a chaotic response among the staff and children present at the facility.
“Everyone was in a state of terror, thinking, ‘This is the worst day of my life,’” Wagner recounted. “People were hiding under their desks, barricading doors, and searching for ways to protect the children.”
Law enforcement officials appeared to be unaware that the drill was not real, as dozens of police officers arrived at the scene fully equipped with body armor and high-powered weapons, bracing for a possible violent confrontation.
According to Wagner, two individuals designated to act as shooters were apprehended during the chaos, though they were unarmed. “It was a horrifying experience,” she emphasized.
As part of the settlement, each of the fifty children affected will receive approximately $60,000. Among the staff, around ninety individuals will be compensated with an average of over $50,000, which will vary according to their results on a trauma assessment, while twenty-four others will receive lesser amounts.
Wagner noted that the state acknowledged the severe error in judgment that led to distress among numerous individuals involved. Judge James Redford of the Court of Claims approved the settlement on October 4, with over $3 million allocated for attorney fees related to the case.
In the wake of the lawsuit filed in 2023, the state Department of Health and Human Services clarified that the hospital was mandated to perform a “hazard vulnerability analysis” to identify possible emergencies, which included active shooter drills. Additionally, spokesperson Lynn Sutfin indicated that the department was collaborating with law enforcement to enhance training for active intruder situations.
An immediate response from Sutfin regarding the settlement was not available. Wagner also pointed out that the drill had been organized by the Hawthorn Center’s safety director, who remains with the state, and mentioned that the facility was later shut down for reasons not associated with the incident.