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Coroner identifies 30-year-old Hilton Head man killed in shooting on Allen Road

Evan McKenna
·2 min read
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette

The man killed in Thursday evening’s shooting on Allen Road has been identified as 30-year-old Hilton Head resident Tyler Wimbush. The unidentified shooter remains at large.

Wimbush was pronounced dead from the gunshot wound at 6:07 p.m. Thursday, said Beaufort County Coroner David Ott. The cause of his death is ruled as a homicide.

Funeral arrangements for Wimbush are pending from the Betts and Son Funeral Home in Oxford, North Carolina, according to his obituary.

Timeline of the shooting

Deputies received a call about a reckless driver on Marshland Road around 5:50 p.m. Thursday, shortly followed by a report of gunfire from the nearby Allen Road. Wimbush was found dead on the roadside, accompanied by an injured dog that appeared to also have been shot.

The dog, believed to belong to Wimbush, was taken to Port Royal Veterinary Clinic for treatment and survived its injuries, according to Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Maj. Angela Viens. A spokesperson with Beaufort County Animal Services did not immediately respond to a message left Tuesday afternoon about the dog, who was likely left in the care of Wimbush’s family.

Investigators believe the reckless driving call and subsequent shooting are related incidents, although Viens would not say if the gunfire was believed to be part of a drive-by shooting.

Wimbush had a home address in Durham, NC but had been living in the Hilton Head area for at least half a decade. His string of drug charges began in July 2018, when officers reportedly approached his car to find 10 baggies of cocaine and a gun between his feet. Pleading guilty in early 2021 to several misdemeanor charges — including unlawfully carrying a pistol and possession with intent to distribute — he was given two years of probation instead of a prison sentence.

No suspects have been identified in Wimbush’s murder. Viens told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette that police had no additional information as of Tuesday afternoon.