‘Hero Citizen’ in Richmond, Virginia, Helped Thwart Mass Shooting Planned for July 4 Celebration: Police

First responders work the scene of a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., on July 4, 2022. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Police in Richmond, Virginia, prevented a mass shooting being planned for July 4 after they received a tip from a concerned citizen.

The informant, whom the police declined to identify, overheard a conversation about the planned mass shooting and reported it to the police department on July 1, Chief Gerald Smith said during a press conference on July 6.