The city’s growing homeless crisis turned dangerous in the early hours of the morning when railroad employees were threatened by a man near a known homeless camp.
Just before 2 a.m., the Yardmaster at Norfolk and Southern Railroad contacted Portsmouth Police in a panic, reporting that a shirtless man carrying a bag had threatened to kill three workers who were servicing a train.
🚓 Officers responded immediately, heading toward the encampment near State Electric, an area known for frequent complaints about drug use, trespassing, and public disturbances. But by the time police arrived, the suspect had vanished into the darkness.
The workers were advised to call back if the man returned — but the unsettling encounter is just the latest in a string of safety concerns tied to unsanctioned homeless camps around Portsmouth.
🏚️ A Crisis Brewing on the Tracks
This incident is part of a much larger issue: Portsmouth’s escalating homeless and mental health emergency. With nine large encampments inside city limits, the strain on public safety, businesses, and services is growing daily.
🚧 Railroad workers, business owners, and residents near these camps report:
- Threats and harassment
- Vandalism and litter
- Trespassing and squatting
- Open drug use and untreated mental illness
Despite frequent clean-ups, the camps return within days — and the cycle repeats.
⚠️ The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about one shirtless man and a bag. It’s about a city running out of places to put people who need help — and running out of patience.
Police officers are doing their best, but they can’t arrest their way out of a mental health and housing crisis.
Until Portsmouth finds real solutions — shelters, treatment options, and permanent housing — we’ll keep seeing scenes like this unfold in the middle of the night.
Because when desperation meets neglect, even our railroads aren’t safe.