Portsmouth police are asking for the public’s help identifying a man accused of pulling a gun on convenience store employees after they refused to sell him cigarettes with an expired ID, then speeding away on a motorcycle. The confrontation unfolded late Tuesday night at a store on Portsmouth Boulevard, according to police.
Officers were called to the 4700 block of Portsmouth Boulevard at 10:26 p.m. Tuesday after a report that a firearm had been brandished at a convenience store, according to WAVY.com. Two employees at the store told responding officers that a man brandished a gun after he was unable to buy cigarettes because his state-issued ID had expired, the station reports.
After the alleged confrontation, the man fled the scene on a black and tan Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle, per the same account. Police have not said whether the suspect has since been identified or located, and no arrest has been reported.
What the Suspect Looked Like
Police describe the suspect as a white man wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans, pink shoes, and a black motorcycle helmet, the report notes. Investigators have not released additional identifying details beyond that description and the motorcycle he was riding.
Anyone with information is asked to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, using the P3 Tips app, or visiting p3tips.com, according to the station's report.
How Virginia Law Treats Brandishing Cases
Brandishing a firearm is addressed under Virginia law, specifically § 18.2-282, which covers pointing, holding, or brandishing a firearm or similar weapon. A subsection of that statute also shields officers from civil liability for injuries or death to a person they arrest under the section, provided the officer had reason to believe that person was pointing, holding, or brandishing a firearm or similar-looking object with intent to induce fear in another.
The circumstances that led to Tuesday night's confrontation, and whether the suspect has since been tracked down, remain unclear. Portsmouth police have not released further updates beyond the description of the suspect and his motorcycle.
