ST. JOSEPH TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Police in Berrien County are investigating the New Year’s Eve shooting death of an active-duty U.S. military member who was home on leave for the holidays.
It happened around 11:10 p.m., at 2086 Colfax Avenue in St. Joseph Township. That’s near Benton Park and southeast of St. Joseph.
St. Joseph Township Police say officers arrived on the scene to find 23-year-old Tyrone Hassel III suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was treated at the scene and taken by ambulance to Spectrum Lakeland Hospital, where he was later declared dead.
Family is still reeling from the loss of Tyrone Hassel the III. Tyrone’s father, Tyrone Hassel Junior, says he never imagined this would happen while his son was home.
“You know I thought I’d lose my son to the military before the streets of Benton Harbor” Hassel said.
Public records indicate he had studied Engineering at Grand Valley State University.
The investigation into what prompted the shooting and who pulled the trigger is underway, according to police. They say no further details are being released yet.
Anyone with more information about the incident should call the St. Joseph Township Police Department at (269)-429-6890, or Berrien County Crimestoppers at 1-800-342-STOP.
Assisting the Township Police at the shooting scene were the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Joseph Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police and the Berrien County Homicide Task Force.
