For the second week in a row, Portsmouth Police say a wanted man was taken into custody after showing up at a local homeless shelter.
Just after 5:30 p.m., staff at the 8th Street shelter contacted officers to check on a new resident. That simple welfare check revealed the man, identified as Nazar Salih, had an open warrant for drug possession. The county that issued the warrant confirmed they would extradite, and officers booked him into the Scioto County Jail. Records show Salih had previously been arrested in Franklin County in January 2024 on charges of theft and criminal trespass.
A Dangerous Arrest Last Week
This follows another major arrest at the same shelter just a week earlier. Police say officers located parole violator Malik Favors there. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections had warned Favors should be considered dangerous and possibly armed.
Favors is on parole following a 2016 conviction for involuntary manslaughter and three counts of assault. He served nine years in prison before being released in 2023 on a three-year parole term. Officers booked him into the Scioto County Jail after the arrest.
Shelter Vigilance
While these arrests may sound alarming, homeless shelter staff say they work hard to remain vigilant to protect their residents. Shelters are designed to be safe spaces for people trying to get back on their feet. That means screening, welfare checks, and close coordination with law enforcement when concerns arise.
In both recent cases, staff were proactive, contacting police quickly and allowing officers to step in. Authorities note that the cooperation of shelters is key to ensuring safety for vulnerable residents while also helping law enforcement locate fugitives who might otherwise slip through the cracks.
