Police: Man Hospitalized After Shooting Himself at North Beach

A man was hospitalized Tuesday for a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest after Hampton police were called to North Beach to assist a man sitting in his car at Bicentennial Park.

Lt. Dan Gidley said he and other officers arrived at the beachside park at about 9:54 a.m. Tuesday for a report of an "apparent gunshot wound" caused by a single gunshot.

Gidley said he and other officers learned the wound was self-inflicted after finding the man, whom Hampton-North Hampton Patch won't identify, in his car. Gidley and other officers helped perform "basic first aid" until personnel from the transported the man to Exeter Hospital.

The man is expected to recover from his injuries, said Gidley.

Gidley said the "public wasn't in jeopardy" and the public's safety was never in danger before or during the incident. The gun was found inside the man's vehicle when officers arrived on scene, although Gidley said the man made no threats and was "very apologetic" to responding officers.

The "assumption," according to Gidley, is that the man shot himself while at Bicentennial Park, although Gidley said there "is not a lot of evidence" to indicate that at this time.