Gunman kills seven, including two children, before taking own life in central Michigan massacre

Among the dead appeared to be his daughter and ex-girlfriend, although police had yet to make a full accounting of the havoc wrought by 34-year-old Rodrick Shonte Dantzler.

The situation quickly went from bad-to-worse in the rural Michigan hub of Grand Rapids after the grisly findings at two separate homes, according to police.

"It makes no sense to try to rationalize it, what the motives were," Police Chief Kevin Belk told The Associated Press. "You just cannot come up with a logical reason why someone takes seven peoples' lives."

The desperate Dantzler led police on a bullet-ridden high-speed chase through the downtown portion of the city that saw him firing at squad cars and wounding two bystanders.

With more than a dozen police cars in tow, Dantzler jumped the median on Highway 96 and barreled down the wrong side of the road as harried motorists dodged his vehicle, cops said.

Dantzler eventually ditched the car and, with gun drawn, entered a private residence, where he brazenly took two hostages, police said.

Dozens of armed cops surrounded the home, as negotiators pleaded with Dantzler to release his captives. As of 11:30 p.m., he had allowed one - a 53-year-old woman - to leave, but kept the other.

Belk said he didn't know why Dantzler might have killed the seven city residents - four in one home and three in the other - including two children.