“This is the outcome we wish would have happened in any active shooting,” said safety expert Mike Jones. The tip led police to Julio Alvarado-Dubon and Rollman Balacarcel, who they say planned to carry out the attack. Two assault rifles, a handgun and more than 200 rounds of ammunition were seized from a home on Columbia Street on Richmond’s south side. The people who live down the doors, who spoke to us off camera, wondered why they weren’t given a warning about their neighbor. Jones said a heads up would prejudice the investigation. “When information like this comes out, and it’s said 15 different times, all you do is spoil the ‘water,’ so to speak, and so many rumors become true, and then law enforcement is left with the manhunt instead of three kidnappings – 300,” Jones said. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney questioned why the event at Dogwood Dell was not canceled. “We wanted people to have fun for the Fourth of July. There was no need for mass hysteria when the Richmond police did their part in securing the facility, but also making sure people who could cause harm were off the streets,” Stoney said. Richmond Parks and Recreation said it was not made aware of the plot before Monday’s event. “If there was a medium where the public was actually at risk, and that was credible information about a credible threat. In all likelihood, the event probably would have been cancelled,” Jones said. Court records for Balacarcel are not yet available, but court records show Alvarado-Dubon had no prior criminal history and lived in Richmond for three years with his son. Richmond police have yet to find a motive in this case. Alvarado-Dubon is being held without bond in the Richmond City Jail. Balacarcel is expected to be arraigned Friday or early next week in Albemarle County. Count on NBC12 for updates on this developing story. Copyright 2022 WWBT. All rights reserved. Send it to 12 here. Want NBC12’s top stories in your inbox every morning? Register here.
