On Thursday, August 11, 2022, Portland Police officers arrested Ryan Nutter (4/26/94) of Portland. Nutter walked into the Front Room (restaurant), 73 Congress Street and threatened an employee with a fixed blade knife. Nutter then fled back to his apartment at 75 Sheridan Street, # 3. When police arrived at his apartment to arrest him, he barricaded himself inside and made threats to harm himself and others.
According to a source with first-hand knowledge of the situation, Nutter had been hired by the Front Room as a cook. Yesterday was to have been his first day on the job. Apparently, he could not deal with instructions from a co-worker on kitchen procedures at the Front Room. The same source said he was known to police. .
A search warrant was issued and the Special Reaction Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, and Behavioral Health Unit responded to the scene. Nutter eventually surrendered and was taken into custody without incident. He was taken to Maine Medical Center for evaluation and was brought to the Cumberland County Jail and charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. Nutter is being held without bail.
Harding Lee Smith is the owner of the Front Room. the Grill Room and the Corner Room in the Old Port.
“We are committed to providing our officers the training they need to deal with incidents like this, said Chief Gorham. “Their diligence and professionalism resulted in a peaceful resolution to this volatile and dangerous situation. I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women of the Portland Police Department.”
Please see previous post herein dated August 11, 2022, for stand-off on Munjoy HIll of Ryan Nutter, the subject of this press release issued this morning by the Portland Police Department.