A man was hospitalized Monday night after Portsmouth police say he fired a gun at officers following a two-hour standoff on Francis Street, prompting an officer to shoot back. The confrontation unfolded near Smithfield Road and shut down the block to both vehicles and pedestrians as police worked to resolve the situation.
According to WAVY, Portsmouth police responded around 8:20 p.m. Monday to reports of a person firing a weapon indiscriminately in the 100 block of Francis Street. Officers found the man armed when they arrived, and according to 13News Now, they spent roughly two hours trying to negotiate with him.
Standoff Ends in Gunfire
Police say the man eventually disobeyed commands and fired at officers, at which point an officer returned fire and struck him. Medics then transported him to a local hospital for treatment, though as of the station's report there was no immediate word on his condition.
Police posted a traffic alert at 9:35 p.m. Monday announcing the operation on Francis Street and warning that the block was closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic while officers worked the scene, per the same account.
State Police to Take Over Investigation
Virginia State Police has been notified of the shooting and will assume the investigation, consistent with standard practice for officer-involved shootings in the area. The agency has not yet released its own findings on the case.
This is not the first time an officer-involved shooting has drawn state investigators to Portsmouth this year. In July, a man suffered life-threatening injuries during a struggle with officers at the end of Bayview Boulevard. In that case, police said the man had tried to grab an officer's gun, though the preliminary investigation did not establish how or by whom he was ultimately shot.
Other Recent Cases in the City
Other Portsmouth shootings involving officers have followed different circumstances. In one case detailed by WTKR, a man identified as Andre L. Rawls brandished a sharp object at an officer, who fired and left him with a serious injury before he was taken to the hospital. And in a 2019 incident on Mount Vernon Avenue, an officer shot an armed man, grazing him; he was treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
No further details have been released about Monday's shooting on Francis Street, including the man's identity or his current condition. Virginia State Police's investigation remains ongoing.
