We now have the first official information from Portsmouth Police regarding the pellet-gun attack that abruptly ended Thursday night’s performance of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical at Shawnee State University’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.
According to the report, the cast member who was struck is a 4’10” actress who plays Tina Turner’s grandmother in the production. She contacted police around 6:50 p.m. Thursday, shortly after witnesses reported hearing someone calling for help near Smith Drugs.
The actress told officers she had been shot in the back with some form of pellet gun fired from a four-door black hatchback that sped eastbound from the scene. She said she was in pain but not seriously injured and did not wish to file a full report, though she asked to be notified if a suspect is found.
Crucially, the report makes no mention of any racial motivation behind the shooting — despite multiple audience members saying that staff at the theater informed them the attack was racially motivated. Whether the cast learned additional information not included in the police report, or whether this was another in a long series of pellet and paintball drive-bys that have plagued Portsmouth for years, remains unclear.
SCDN has documented dozens of similar pellet-gun and paintball assaults over the past two years — often targeting pedestrians, cyclists, and shoppers at random. Thursday’s attack, however, had uniquely high consequences: performers were shaken enough that the company refused to continue after intermission, leading to the abrupt cancellation of the second act.
The Detroit Show Did Go On
Despite canceling the Tina Turner Musical Friday’s performance at Detroit’s Fisher Theatre — a move that sparked national attention — the November 22 Detroit show went on as scheduled. Friends of the injured actress posted public tributes praising her resilience and celebrating her November 21 birthday. Several said she delivered a powerful performance just one day after the incident, calling her “strong,” “fearless,” and “phenomenal.”
This stands in sharp contrast to the emotional reaction in Portsmouth, where audience members described feeling stunned, heartbroken, and angry at what they believed was a racially targeted attack.
Confusion, Hurt, and a City in the Spotlight
The mixed messaging surrounding motive has fueled debate online.
Some residents insist the attack must have been targeted.
Others say the police report strongly suggests no known motive, pointing instead to the city’s long-running issue with random pellet attacks.
Theaters patrons reported being told during intermission that the incident was racist in nature — though, again, that claim does not appear in the official police narrative.
The only certainty is that what should have been a triumphant night for local arts became yet another moment where Portsmouth found itself grappling with a reputation damaged by the reckless actions of a few.
What We Still Don’t Know
- Was the attack racially motivated?
The police report does not indicate motive, and no suspect has been identified.
- Why did the production cancel only part of the Portsmouth show but also one night in Detroit?
The company has not released further explanation.
- Will additional reports be filed if new information emerges?
At this point, the victim has declined further action unless a suspect is found.
