Reports of men in ski masks possibly armed with guns sent police scrambling across the city late into the night and again early the next morning, sparking fear from bar patrons to business owners.
The first calls began around 11:30 p.m. near Sidetracks Bar, where multiple callers reported individuals wearing ski masks and carrying guns.
🚓 Conflicting Descriptions, Citywide Search
Callers provided varying vehicle descriptions, including:
- A black Honda and/or dark blue Chevy Malibu
- A black Ford Fusion
- A black Honda Accord
Officers with the Portsmouth Police Department searched the area around Lincoln Street, taking statements and gathering information for a report.
🍔 Sonic Sighting—But No Guns Found
About 20 minutes later, a caller reported seeing a vehicle matching one of the descriptions at Sonic Drive-In.
Police stopped the vehicle. The driver denied any involvement, and officers did not locate any weapons in a readily accessible area. While the gun scare didn’t pan out, the stop still ended with the driver being cited for a moving violation.
🍺 Bars Checked After Midnight
At 12:16 a.m., officers conducted a walk-through of Frank & Stein’s Lounge, followed shortly by a check of The Local, looking for anyone matching the earlier descriptions.
No suspects were located during either check.
🕗 Morning Brings Another Masked Report
The scare wasn’t over.
At 8:30 a.m., police received another report—this time at Evans Variety on 11th Street. A caller said three men entered the building, with two wearing ski masks.
According to the business owner’s son, two men attempted to break in, but the situation changed fast when dogs ran out, apparently scaring the suspects away before officers arrived.
No injuries were reported, and no formal report was filed at that time.