A teenager is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly opening fire at New Hampshire’s popular Hampton Beach, wounding three people, and leading police on a 30-mile pursuit before being captured.
According to the Hampton Police Department, 18-year-old Divaris Ojani Ruiz of Manchester has been charged with four counts of first-degree assault with a firearm and four counts of reckless conduct in connection with the June 25 incident.
Officers responded to several 911 calls reporting gunfire near 333 Ocean Boulevard around 8:30 p.m. Witnesses told police that Ruiz fired five to six rounds from a black Ford Mustang with a shattered rear window while driving along the busy beachfront road.
Authorities discovered one victim hiding between two parked cars, suffering from a gunshot wound to the left foot. Two additional victims, one with a gunshot wound to the right foot and another with two gunshot wounds to the buttocks, were later treated at Seabrook Emergency Room.
Just before 10:30 p.m., New Hampshire State Police alerted Hampton police that Ruiz had led officers from Brentwood and Epping on a high-speed chase that ended in Deerfield. Following a brief shelter-in-place order, a local resident spotted Ruiz hiding in a yard and directed police to his location. He was taken into custody without further incident.
A juvenile passenger in Ruiz’s vehicle was also detained. Their identity has not been released, and it remains unclear if they will face any charges.
During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a 9mm semi-automatic Glock-style firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
In addition to the Hampton Police charges, Ruiz faces further charges from New Hampshire State Police for reckless operation and disobeying a police officer.
The investigation into the shooting remains active, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
