Report Of Suspicious Device On Bus Closes Portsmouth Streets

WMUR.com ^ | 6 May 2010

[OCCASparky]

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- Portsmouth Bus Incident Several streets in Portsmouth have been blocked off after a report of a suspicious device on a bus.

Police said the incident involved a Greyhound bus that was en route from Portland, Maine, to New York. A 911 call was received at about 11:15 a.m. from someone on the bus reporting a possible suspicious device.

Police said the area around Hanover, High and Market streets was closed.

News 9 reported that 17 passengers were still on the bus, but the bus driver had left the bus. There have been reports of a possible hostage situation, but Portsmouth Capt. Mike Schwartz said he wasn't sure why the passengers hadn't left the bus.

A SWAT team was also at the scene, and several businesses in the area were evacuated. The FAA also instituted a 3-mile no-fly zone around the area.

[libertarian27]

One subject on the bus appeared to be handcuffed.

By 2 p.m., immigration and customs officials were on scene.

Developing story — updates to follow

****Hmmmmm****

[jwparkerjr]

re: but the bus driver had left the bus

You can’t make stuff like this up! Driver off, but passengers left to face the music.

[jwparkerjr]

re: Why a 3 mile no fly zone?

To keep news helicopters out of the area.

[OCCASparky]

Might have been a case of driver getting info, switching drivers, getting luggage...hard to say, and I’m not gonna fault the guy if in fact that’s the case.

[jcsjcm]

So far 13 passengers have left the bus (1 at a time) with their hands in the air and directed towards police for a search. Then they are leading them into a parking garage for further questioning. One man was handcuffed during this procedure.

No news on what is happening on the bus or in the parking garage. Really weird situation!

[jcsjcm]

Meanwhile there is a large fire going on in Portland, ME where this bus had a stop. Not sure if it has any relation to it, probably not. But, here is a photo my niece took of the fire from a distance.

Old Jordan's meat plant:



http://www.wlbz2.com/news/breaking/story.aspx?storyid=117496&catid=113

[libertarian27]

Jordan Hot Dogs were the best - loved the Red Dogs (And I’m not even from Maine:))

[libertarian27]

By 2:40 p.m., according to Schwartz, police were attempting to establish phone communication with the man who remained on the bus, and stressed that they were not calling anybody a suspect.

According to Schwartz, police have not recovered any type of device from the bus.

Developing story — updates to follow

[jwparkerjr]

It was just the way it read. No one knows what's going on, it's a scene confusion, but the driver had gotten out. I'm certainly not impugning him, in fact good for him, but at first blush, it struck me as humorous!

[Past Your Eyes]

They can’t be as good as the old Schonlands.
Just a thought, but if there weren’t but 17 on board, maybe it was a short bus?

[carmody]

Well that doesnt sound very constitutional. Unless it’s for the safety of the helicopters, why prevent local media reporting on the event?

[jwparkerjr]

Good question, but it’s pretty common practice. In busy areas like here in Tampa they have some concern about the clutter of aircraft, three or four from the news and a police helicopter or two can make for some pretty hairy flying. They also have concerns about news reports being seen by those on the ground who are the object of the cops’ efforts. That’s been a problem a couple of times that I know of personally. Someone hold up with access to a TV can make a better escape plan if they know where the various LE units are. That’s a pretty slim reason, but it can have some validity.

They are really pretty reasonable about it unless the scene is in or near pattern traffic for an airport, or in or under the approach for runways.

[carmody]

Thank you for explaining that. I can see now why they wouldn’t want tv coverage ~ perfectly understandable.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Keep your damned people up there, don't let them go wandering.

What makes you think those are "my damned people" They might be damned, and if I could control them I'd send the moonbats and illegals all back where they came from.

"My people" all live in the woods, randomly fire guns and run their chainsaws.

[billphx]

May want to avoid news choppers crashing into each other. Happened in Phoenix a year or two ago

[jwparkerjr]

re: news choppers crashing into each other

Happens all too often. My son is a helicopter pilot for a sheriff's office here in Florida. He's in a relatively small community, Naples, but even there they a have a news crew in nearby Ft. Myers and they come over from Palm Beach or down from Tampa.

Here in Tampa all the pilots know each other and they have understandings at to who will fly at what altitude. And each one has a unique transponder code that lets ATC offer them some assistance. ATC would just as soon not mess with them though. Tampa is busy airspace and they have their hands full! Five or six controlled airports with 30 miles or so. It can get crowded.

I fly with one of the EMS helicopters from time to time. It's hard to know when they will have something worth going on, but if you hang out with them for a day or two you stand a good chance of getting some nice shots. Worst thing is when you get bumped by someone and have to find your own way back to your car! Happens for instance when they transport someone who's been injured by police and then an officer has to go with them. There goes your ride back! I got a nice shot last week when I was a the scene of where an officer had shot a bank robbery suspect. I was left behind but got a good shot of them rotating to leave the area: