RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Court documents obtained by 8News on Friday, July 8, have revealed new details about an anonymous tip that the Richmond Police Department (RPD) said its Second Precinct received regarding an alleged mass shooting plot, which was set to take place in the city on Independence Day.
According to the documents, on Friday, July 1, authorities received a tip that Rolman Balacarcel was “going to do a mass shooting on July 4th.” The documents further stated, “The witness who gave the tip advised that the defendant [Balacarcel] showed high power rifles.”
As RPD Chief Gerald Smith reported during a press conference on Wednesday, July 6, that authorities responded to a residence on Columbia Street, where Balacarcel, 38, and Julio Cesar Alvarado-Dubon, 52, were reportedly living, and found several guns and rounds of ammunition.
“At the time of the search of the defendant’s home they couldn’t confirm his status so he wasn’t arrested, once they found out he was not supposed to be here they sought the charge,” court documents stated.
Staff at the Consulate General of Guatemala in Maryland confirmed to 8News that both Balacarcel and Alvarado-Dubon were originally from the Baja Verapaz department, similar to a province, of Guatemala. They also stated that the suspects were apprehended on July 2 and 3, despite RPD’s reports that they were taken into custody on July 1 and 5.
“As a result of the arrest, the authorities have initiated investigations, for which the Consular Mission has followed up on the development of the same, while maintaining communication with the relatives of the nationals,” a representative from the Consulate stated in a release translated from Spanish. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms its commitment to assist and ensure the protection of all Guatemalans wherever they may be.”
Moreover, sources confirmed to 8News on Friday that Balacarcel used an alias, which is what appears on official court documentation from the City of Richmond. While court papers show that the suspect’s name is Rolman Alberto Balacarcel, federal sources stated that his name is actually Rolman Balacarcel Ac.
Court documents also list the date of Balacarcel’s offense as June 21, 2022, more than one week before police went to the home on Columbia Street, and two weeks before they said he was arrested.
As for Alvarado-Dubon, 8News has continued to ask questions about why his bond amount was set at $15,000. According to the Richmond City General District Court, Chief Judge David M. Hicks initially set the bond amount, which he then stayed on Thursday, meaning that the bond amount remains in effect. This decision was made despite RPD’s Wednesday press conference revealing the alleged mass shooting plot in which they believed Alvarado-Dubon was involved.
A spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) declined to comment or share information on whether the office would be involved in cases against either suspect.
