Richmond Police Chief Refuses Questions on Dubious Mass Shooting Claim

The story seemed almost too good to be true. Now, a month later, a city prosecutor has given us reason to believe it’s not true. —Bob Lewis, VPM

Next question. We ended the discussion —Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith, Aug. 8, 2022

Chief Gerald Smith, left, and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney

CHIEF SMITH WANTS TO “CLOSE ALL DISCUSSION.” On July 6, Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith, Mayor Levar Stoney and several members of the Richmond City Council, stood at a press conference and told reporters that police stopped a mass shooting on July 4th at the Dogwood Dell Ampitheatre.
Chief Smith said on July 6, 20022 in Richmond that an anonymous tip received by Richmond Police by someone who “overheard” a plan for a mass shooting at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater.

“There is no telling how many lives this hero citizen saved with this one phone call,” Smith said on July 6. But after many questions from media and no evidence, the City of Richmond dropped the charges on Julio Alvarado-Dubon, 52, and Rolman A. Balacarcel, 38. Whether federal officials will move forward is unclear.

This was a the moment last week that changed the game. Richmond City Judge David Hicks asking Richmond prosecutor Clinton Seal for evidence that Dogwood Dell was the target of a mass shooting. The answer was “no.”

Tyler Layne @TylerLayneMusic

This moment is a must watch. Judge David Hicks asks a prosecutor in the Richmond’s Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Clinton Seal, for evidence of a mass shooting at Dogwood Dell on July 4th. He responds, “No.” @CBS6

JULY 6. The announcement by Smith and Stoney occurred at a press conference days after the July 4 massacre in Highland Park, Illinois. That tragic mass shooting resulted in seven people murdered and 48 others wounded at the start of a 4th of July parade.

Also in late July, it was reported that the FBI was investigating the events of February 2019, as early as June of 2022, after Ralph Northam was hit by a scandal involving racist images in his 1984 medical school yearbook.

🚩 Days before the July 6 press conference on Friday, July 2, 2022 at 5 p.m. Richmond Police issues an apology for teargassing people in 2022 at the Lee Monument.

Brooke Binkowski @brooklynmarie

Just in case you missed it, here's the Richmond Police admitting that they deliberately broke the public's trust and lied to us all about the need to use teargas in 2020. I'm just making sure people see it because they dropped it after 5 PM on a Friday a holiday weekend

Richmond Police @RichmondPolice

There were no RPD officers cut off by violent protesters at the Lee Monument. There was no need for gas at Lee Monument to get RPD officers to safety. 6/6

The Richmond Times Dispatch FOIA’d a number of documents related to the communications regrading the Dogwood Dell claim by Richmond Police and police reports. Stoney appeared on national television several times on the matter but refuses to publicly release communications between himself and Chief Smith on the Dogwood Dell claim.

Henry Graff @HenryGraff

NOW: Richmond Police Chief holds second quarter report to community on crime trends. Chief starts by saying they won’t speak anymore on Dogwood Dell and alleged mass shooting plot. @NBC12

Suddenly the alleged mass shooting announcement isn’t a topic Stoney or Richmond Police are excited to speak on.

WTVR CBS 6 Richmond @CBS6

Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said he will no longer talk about an alleged July 4th mass shooting plot, days after prosecutors released information conflicting with Smith's claims that police prevented an attack at Dogwood Dell.

wtvr.comRPD Chief wants to ‘close all discussion’ about alleged mass shooting plot as information conflictsRichmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said he will no longer talk about an alleged July 4th mass shooting plot, days after prosecutors released information conflicting with Smith’s claims.

Chief Gerald Smith began his press conference telling reporters he would not speak on the mass shooting claim he made on July 6.

Tyler Layne @TylerLayneMusic

#BREAKING Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith begins his press conference about crime data saying RPD is closing discussion related to the alleged July 4th mass shooting plot. He now says a tipster didn’t mention Dogwood Dell, but that location was deemed “most likely.” @CBS6

This is what Chief Smith looked and sounded like when he originally relayed the alleged mass shooting plot to the media on July 6:

The News with Shepard Smith @thenewsoncnbc

A tip from a “hero citizen” helped prevent a possible mass shooting on July 4th and “saved numerous lives.” That’s from the police chief in Richmond, Virginia. He said the person called officers after overhearing a conversation of a planned mass shooting. @shomaristone reports.

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