Officials Remain Silent on Last Night’s Killings-Shooting Portsmouth Ohio
At least 2 people are dead after a reported shooting outside of Frank-n-Steins bar on Chillicothe Street.
As of right now, there are certainly more questions than answers.
SCDN and other local news outlets have requested information. Authorities have not provided any information to the press or the public. It is not even possible to state if the shooter is at large. Did any other members of the public suffer injuries? Is the public safe?
The picture that shall not be shown
In a disturbing photo that has been circulating on social media, two bodies can be seen wrapped in sheets, having been left outside all night. On the street, one body is lying near the curb. Several feet away, a second body lies on the grass.
This has been criticized as being disrespectful to the deceased’s family and loved ones.
The outrage that no provisions were taken to shield the bodies from public view comes from locals and natives across the country. A canopy is typically set up over the body during a lengthy investigation so investigators can work without the body being seen.
The Waiting Game
We, along with other news outlets, await a public response from the police. Meanwhile, questions and assumptions flood our inboxes.
“Why Police-Community Relationships Are Important” is available from the Department of Justice. The document clearly states the following.
“Transparency is essential to positive police-community relationships. When a critical incident occurs, agencies should try to release as much information about it as possible, as soon as possible, so the community will not feel that information is being purposefully withheld from them.”
The Silence is Finally Broken
At 5:15 pm (Nearly 17 hours after the critical incident), Portsmouth Police finally confirmed that two individuals were shot dead early Sunday morning in the area of 8th Street. Other than identifying the victims as Hispanic males and saying the crime is under investigation, PPD did not provide any other details about the crime.
So, the public continues to fear that a shooter may still be on the loose.
The owner of the bar told WOWK, “he heard arguing outside the bar before a car drove by and shots were fired.” This indicates a possible drive-by shooting, according to that report.
Toro Loco, a popular restaurant in Portsmouth, released this statement at 9 pm on Sunday.
“Today we are in mourning, we have lost two great friends, co-workers, they will see how brothers today they beat us to it, and we only have to ask God for their eternal rest from Abraham Velasco and Xavier Luna that they find peace.”