RICHMOND, Va. - Police Chief Gerald Smith sounded authoritative when he held a press conference to announce that police had thwarted a planned mass shooting at a July 4 fireworks show at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater. But the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that records obtained through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act show that Smith was informed in writing before his July 6 news conference that the location of any potential incident was “unknown.” A police official emailed those records to Smith and an assistant seven minutes before Smith’s news conference. In a statement to the newspaper, Smith said he is deeply sorry for any confusion or anxiety caused by his naming Dogwood Dell as the location.
Alleged Richmond July 4 Plot Dad Unknown Location
