RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith credited a “hero citizen” with the information that “saved many lives on the Fourth of July.”
The July 1 alert involved a man or men “threatening to commit a mass shooting on or about the 4th of July” at the city’s Dogwood Dell fireworks celebration in Richmond.
“A subject, who I’m calling a hero citizen, picked up the phone,” Chief Smith said. “[They] I heard talk that there is a planned mass shooting here in Richmond, VA during our Fourth of July celebration at the Dell.
Chief Smith said officials also focused on celebrating the Fourth of July at the Diamond in Richmond.
“Their intention was to film our Fourth of July celebration,” Smith said.
Both events took place despite threats being investigated by police.
“We had a very solid plan. We kept an eye on him. “I’m not going to go into detail about what we were doing, but I can tell you that most of our police department was working on the fourth,” Smith said. “We knew and could see what was happening across the country. It wasn’t just Dogwood Dell that bothered us. But we also had concerns about Diamond and the baseball game as well. Let me be very blunt, this is where these cowards are going. Wherever we gather, they want to be there.”
Chief Smith was unable to provide additional details or a motive for the mass shooting.
The tip led police to Julio Cesar Alvarado-Dubon and his home on Columbia Street in South Richmond.
“Detectives conducted surveillance at an address associated with the suspect and observed activity,” a police spokesman said. “A knock and talk was conducted and the male was inside.”
WTVR via Richmond Police
Police said a search of the home on July 1 found two rifles, a handgun and 223 rounds of ammunition from the home.
“Unfortunately, the suspect did not have any weapons in his room and did not make any incriminating statements,” a police spokesman wrote. “Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] was consulted regarding the weapons and they advised that the owner was prohibited from possessing any. He was imprisoned and charged with alien possession of a firearm.”
Police said they are continuing their investigation and are monitoring his roommate, Rolman Balasersel.
Balacercel was arrested July 5 in Charlottesville.
Chief Smith said police did not have probable cause to arrest Balacercel initially, but officers were prepared to intervene if he tried to act on the alleged plot.
Both are charged only with possession of a firearm while not a citizen of the United States.
Neither man was known to police prior to the current investigation, according to police.
The chief said investigators don’t yet have details on the plans, but have given high praise to the person who called in the tip.
“Coming from someone who did the right thing. It comes from a hero. We owe several lives to this one man. That’s all I can say right now. They are heroes,” Chief Smith said. “If you see something, say something. If you hear something, say something.”
Police said the July 4 situation was in no way related to the July 2 shooting of six people on Broad Street in downtown Richmond, nor the fatal shooting of a man at a restaurant on West Main Street.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to submit a tip.
Watch the entire press conference in the video player below.
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