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.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
