Richmond polling places face shooting, bomb threats; voting continues despite security alerts

Election Day in Richmond was expected to follow the familiar rhythm of civic routine on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, but by mid-afternoon the city’s polling places had become the focus of a security scare that tested the resilience of local election infrastructure.

The first shooting threat was reported by phone around 12:42 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson High School, sending police to the location to assess the situation. A second shooting threat followed at approximately 1:43 p.m. at Barack Obama Elementary School, also called in by phone. Then, at 2:54 p.m., a bomb threat was reported at Albert H. Hill Middle School, the polling place for Precinct 113. Richmond police responded to each site, deploying multiple resources to assess the threats, conduct security checks, and help ensure the safety of voters, election officers, and staff at both school locations.

According to the city’s Office of Elections, officers found no suspicious activity or evidence of an immediate threat at the locations they checked. The department continued to monitor the situation even as ballots were being cast inside the buildings.

Three Schools, Three Threats in Three Hours

The Office of Elections noted that it had prepared for the possibility of security incidents on Election Day and had established procedures for responding in coordination with law enforcement. WTVR confirmed that both shooting threats were reported by phone, and that voting continued at both Thomas Jefferson High School and Barack Obama Elementary School while officers assessed the situations on the ground with ongoing security assessments.

Thomas Jefferson student taken into custody after trying to enter school with knife — Photo: wtvr.com

Albert H. Hill Middle School, serving as Precinct 113, faced the bomb threat later in the afternoon at 2:54 p.m. Police again responded and conducted thorough security checks of the facility, but found no evidence to substantiate the threat.

Police Find No Evidence of Immediate Danger

The Richmond Police Department’s response involved deploying multiple resources to each of the three locations to ensure the safety of everyone present.

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While the calls triggered full security protocols and the presence of multiple police resources, the polling places themselves remained secure enough for voting to proceed without interruption or evacuation at any of the three schools.

Officials Urge Voters to Stay the Course

The Office of Elections issued a statement emphasizing that the safety of everyone at the polls remained the highest priority, while also making clear that intimidation would not stop the democratic process in Virginia’s capital city.

“The safety of voters, election officers, and staff remains our highest priority,” the Office of Elections stated. “These incidents should not deter Richmond residents from exercising their right to vote. The Office of Elections is working closely with law enforcement to maintain a secure voting environment and ensure that voters can cast their ballots safely and without intimidation.”

That message was reinforced by the continued operation of the polling places. Election officials directed voters to the city’s elections website for real-time updates, maintaining transparency about the ongoing security situation while encouraging participation through the final hours of voting.

Polls Remain Open Until 7 p.m

Despite the threats, all polling places in Richmond remained open until 7:00 p.m. as scheduled, with voting continuing at both Thomas Jefferson High School and Barack Obama Elementary School throughout the afternoon. Voters were directed to www.rva.gov/elections for official information and updates on the security situation.

As of the latest reports from Tuesday afternoon, police continued to monitor the situation at all three schools, though no arrests had been announced and the source of the threatening calls remained unidentified. The question of who made the threats, and whether the three incidents were connected, remained open as the evening approached and the final votes of the 2026 midterm election were cast.