Lynchburg Police have released more details about a suspect who apparently took his own life inside an Amherst home Saturday night. Late Friday night into Saturday morning, police received direct messages through Facebook Messenger threatening the mass shooting of local law enforcement officers and judiciary employees. They identified the Facebook profile as that of Joseph R. Lombard of Amherst and called in a SWAT team to assist. Lombard was found deceased inside his home by VSP personnel.
Here is the entire news release from Lynchburg Police:
Investigation Involving Threats on Social Media
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) began an investigation as the result of threats made through a social media platform last weekend.
On Friday, June 3, at 11:08 p.m., the LPD began receiving direct messages through Facebook Messenger which threatened the mass shooting of local law enforcement officers and judiciary employees. These messages continued through the early morning hours of Saturday, June 4, and prompted detectives with the LPD Special Investigations Division (SID) to investigate.
By Saturday afternoon, SID detectives had identified the owner of the Facebook profile as Joseph R. Lombard, 35, of Amherst. A search warrant was obtained for Lombard’s residence in the Town of Amherst on Newington Drive and the following criminal charges were issued for Lombard’s arrest:
- Threats to bomb or burn a building
- Threats of death or bodily injury to a person
- Harassment by computer
The Virginia State Police (VSP) Tactical Team was contacted to assist with the service of these warrants.
During the warrant service on Saturday evening, Lombard was found deceased inside of his home by VSP personnel.
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