A report of multiple gunshots sent Portsmouth police scrambling across several neighborhoods late at night, but despite a lengthy search, officers never found the shooter.
They did, however, find someone else who was wanted.
Just before 10:45 p.m., police were dispatched after callers reported hearing six to seven gunshots in the area of 17th Street.
An officer on Grandview Avenue also reported hearing the shots.
🚨 EVERYONE HEARD THE SHOTS—NOBODY AGREED WHERE THEY CAME FROM
As officers spread out across the area, the tips started pouring in.
One caller reported hearing two people arguing at the Oasis Carryout on 17th Street just before the gunfire erupted.
Police searched:
- Wayne Avenue in Wayne Hills
- Areas near the bowling alley
- Spring Street near an open field
- Neighborhoods around 17th Street
But witnesses couldn’t agree on where the shots originated.
Residents near the Woodbine Apartments on Kendall Street believed the shots came from the Oasis area.
People behind the Hilltop Fire Department thought the gunfire happened farther north.
Others told officers they believed the shots came from a passing vehicle and may have been a drive-by shooting.
👀 POLICE FIND A WANTED MAN INSTEAD
While searching the area, officers encountered a suspicious person near 17th and Kendall.
After checking his information, police discovered he had an active warrant for failure to appear.
Officers arrested Charles Meadows and transported him to the Scioto County Jail.
🔫 THE NEXT DAY, A POSSIBLE CLUE EMERGES
The mystery took another turn the following day.
A Walnut Street resident contacted Portsmouth police after discovering what appeared to be gunshot damage to a vehicle.
According to the report, her husband had been at the Oasis Carryout during the time the shooting was reported.
Police documented the damage and took information for a report.