18-year-old Divaris Ojani Ruiz of Manchester, New Hampshire, was arrested on Tuesday after he allegedly opened fire at Hampton Beach, shooting three people in a drive-by incident and sparking a manhunt involving backup from Massachusetts.
[RELATED: Officer Involved Shooting Results in Three Bangor Police Placed on Temporary Leave…]
Hampton Police responded to reports of a shooting and arrived at the scene at 333 Ocean Boulevard shortly after the incident. When they arrived, they learned that three people had been shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and multiple vehicles had been damaged.
Two people were shot in the foot, and another was shot twice in the buttocks. Two of them transported themselves to the hospital, and the third was transported there by the Seabrook, NH Fire Department.
Law enforcement believed that Ruiz had fled in his black Ford Mustang after allegedly opening fire from the car at around 8:30 p.m.
The vehicle reportedly had a broken window caused by a bullet impact, though it is unclear if the damage was caused by Ruiz shooting out of the car or by a bystander returning fire.
A manhunt ensued, involving numerous local law enforcement agencies, the NH State Police, and even the Massachusetts State Police Air Wing.
Officers eventually spotted Ruiz allegedly fleeing, heading west on Route 101 in Epping, NH. When Ruiz left the highway, members of the Auburn, NH police department deployed road spikes, successfully deflating his tires.
He continued driving until he reached South Road in Deerfield, NH, where he got out of the car and reportedly fled into the woods on foot. Law enforcement discovered a 9mm handgun in the Mustang, along with a juvenile passenger, who was detained.
Police provided no additional information on the minor, such as his relationship with Ruiz or whether he will also face any charges.
Police set up a perimeter and issued a shelter-in-place order for residents within a two-mile radius of 23 Old Candia Road in Deerfield.
A local resident informed the police that they saw Ruiz in their yard, and the police apprehended him and took him into custody. The shelter-in-place order remained in effect until nearly 11:00 p.m.
Ruiz was charged with four felony counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and four felony counts of assault with a firearm. He is being held without bail, with his next court date scheduled for July 2nd.
The Hampton Police Department said that the motive for the attack remains under investigation, but it is believed to be an isolated incident, though not a random act. Law enforcement has identified everyone involved in the shooting and warned that additional charges may be forthcoming.
The Maine Wire discovered what appears to be Ruiz’s Facebook account, though it has few posts. His cover photo appears to show him miming holding a handgun towards the camera.
The Maine Wire also discovered, via an investigation into Ruiz’s account, a YouTube channel for a rapper going by the name of Gw4l Twin, who filmed at least one video in Manchester, NH, where Ruiz lives and who appears to strongly resemble Ruiz.
