The man who died by suicide after allegedly shooting two people on Ocean Boulevard early Sunday, July 5, was an active‑duty member of the U.S. Navy assigned to the USS Hampton, according to officials.
Attorney General John M. Formella, New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark B. Hall, and Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno released the update July 6.
Officials said the suspected shooter, 21‑year‑old Tyshawn Cooper of Taylors, South Carolina, had been living in New Hampshire and was assigned to the USS Hampton submarine, currently undergoing maintenance at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
Police say Cooper shot himself in the head after allegedly shooting a 23-year-old male and a 25-year-old female on Ocean Boulevard. The two victims remain hospitalized and are receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.
Authorities said police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and are coordinating with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which is conducting its own review.
Police: Suspect shot two outside Hampton Beach gas station
Police responded to Patriot’s Corner Grocery, Gas & Laundry at 29 Ocean Blvd. on July 5 at about 1:19 a.m. for a report of shots fired. When officers arrived, they found a 23‑year‑old man and a 25‑year‑old woman with serious gunshot wounds and immediately rendered aid.
A short time later, the attorney general’s office said additional Hampton officers encountered a man matching the suspect’s description at the intersection of P Street and Ashworth Avenue. During the interaction, officials said Cooper pulled out a handgun, raised it, and shot himself in the head as an officer fired one round at the same time.
An autopsy performed July 5 determined Cooper died from a gunshot wound to the head and that the manner of death was suicide, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Hampton police stabilized victims before medics arrived
Hampton Fire Chief Michael McMahon said the department’s dispatcher had been monitoring activity at the beach and heard the police call reporting the shooting, allowing fire personnel to be alerted immediately. Two engines and two ambulances were sent to the south end of the beach and arrived within minutes, he said.
McMahon said police officers provided initial care to the two gunshot victims while waiting for paramedics, and that their actions may have been lifesaving. Hampton police cruisers were recently outfitted with chest seals, which can stabilize certain types of wounds.
“The police officer who put the chest seals on one of the victims may have very well saved the victim’s life,” McMahon said. “Our Fire Department responders arrived quite quickly, but those few minutes may have made a difference. This was an excellent use of the chest seals.”
Firefighters had both victims in ambulances and en route to the hospital within five minutes, McMahon said, after calling ahead to alert staff to the severity of the injuries. Four responders accompanied the male victim in one ambulance, and three accompanied the female victim in another.
McMahon said his department conducted an after‑action review of the incident on Monday with the firefighters involved.
“This isn’t the type of incident we want to get, but I’m very proud of the way it was handled by those involved,” McMahon said.
Navy releases Cooper’s service history and USS Hampton details
Lt. Wallis Lawrence, public affairs officer for Submarine Readiness Squadron 32, said Cooper enlisted on Sept. 5, 2023, and had risen to the rank of Information Systems Technician Submarine Network 3rd Class (ITN3).
After completing training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois, and the Naval Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut, Cooper reported to the USS Hampton (SSN 767) on Feb. 26, 2025, Lawrence said.
Lawrence noted that sailors assigned to the USS Hampton use a variety of housing options while the submarine is at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, including on‑base barracks, off‑base hotel accommodations, and private residences in the local community.
The USS Hampton arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Nov. 21, 2024, with more than 130 crew members to undergo a systems upgrade and scheduled maintenance.
Part of the Navy’s 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific, the Hampton is a Los Angeles‑class attack submarine commissioned in 1993. It is the fourth Navy vessel named for four U.S. cities and towns: Hampton, Virginia; Hampton, Iowa; Hampton, South Carolina; and Hampton, New Hampshire.
Investigation into what led to shooting is ongoing
Authorities said the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting remains ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available while protecting the integrity of the case.
Although investigators say the officer’s gunshot did not cause Cooper’s death, the attorney general’s office said it will still conduct a standard deadly‑force review.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Angeljean Chiaramida, news@seacoastonline.com.
