LONDONDERRY - The search for a suspected gunman on Interstate 93 was called off shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday morning after no gunman was found.

Police searched the area for several hours Thursday morning after motorists reported a man was “standing in the median strip with a gun in hand near Exit 4 on Interstate 93.”

Police said initial reports of the gunman came in during the morning commute hours. Londonderry and Derry police assisted in the search. A state police helicopter hovered over the highway earlier Thursday as the search extended to the Route 102 corridor, then onward toward Exit 3 in Windham after the suspect was reportedly spotted, police said.

Driving to his job in Salem Thursday morning, Concord resident George Simon spotted a man in a suit walking alongside Interstate 93.

“He was dressed to the hilt,” said Simon. “I was worried he was going to get hit.”

Then he noticed there was an Audi parked by the side of the road. Part of the vehicle's roof rack appeared to be missing. Simon said he believes the so-called “gunman” spotted during Thursday morning's commute was simply a case of mistaken identity as the unknown man attempted to retrieve a large piece of a roof rack that had fallen into the roadway.

However, state police were unable to confirm if that was, indeed, the case. “It could be one and the same, but I cannot say for sure,” State Police Lt. Nicole Armaganian said.