It was a long, strange day for one man—and an exhausting one for first responders and convenience store clerks trying to deal with him.
Just after 1:30 a.m., Portsmouth Police and EMS were called to the Fast Stop Market on 8th Street after employees reported an intoxicated man using a walker had passed out in front of the store. Workers said they had asked him to leave, but he refused. Medics eventually transported the man to the hospital for treatment.
But just 13 hours later, the same man—with hospital bracelets still on his wrist—turned up again, this time parked on the sidewalk in front of the Hilltop Market.
Wearing a red shirt, hospital pants, and leaning on his walker, the man kept nodding off, despite store employees asking him to move along. Officers responded and confirmed he had just been released from the hospital.
When asked if he needed further medical help, the man declined. He was advised to leave the property and moved along without further incident.
😟 The Bigger Picture: No Place to Go
This isn’t just about one man dozing off in front of gas stations—it’s a snapshot of a growing crisis. Many homeless individuals in Portsmouth cycle through the ER, jail, and store fronts, with no permanent shelter or support system in place.
Clerks, police, and medics are left filling the gaps, trying to manage a public health emergency without the tools to fix it.
Until the city addresses mental health, housing, and addiction services head-on, expect more scenes like this one—played out on sidewalks, in store entrances, and behind flashing emergency lights.
