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Former North Carolina police officer accused of threatening mass shooting at New Orleans festival
By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten
Published April 23, 2026
A former North Carolina police officer was arrested late Wednesday for allegedly threatening a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival, authorities said.
Christopher Gillum, 45, was detained at a Destin, Florida, hotel Wednesday night, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said.
He is wanted in Orleans Parish in Louisiana for alleged terroristic threats and is accused of planning to travel to a festival in New Orleans to commit a mass shooting and then die by suicide, authorities said.
The Louisiana State Police did not say which festival the suspect was allegedly targeting but said in a statement Thursday that "there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana."
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was scheduled to start its first weekend on Thursday.
Christopher Gillum, of Chapel Hill, N.C., was wanted by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety "for terroristic threats" and was arrested at a hotel in Destin, Fla., the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Thursday. (Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
Alex Carrasquillo, the communication manager for Chapel Hill, North Carolina, confirmed to Fox News Digital that Gillum was an officer there from 2004 to 2019.
Gillum returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 before leaving for another job by the end of that year, Carrasquillo said.
Gillum was being held in a Florida jail and awaiting extradition to Louisiana, the sheriff's office said. (Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
Authorities in Louisiana and Florida highlighted the collaboration between several agencies and the use of license plate reader technology after the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said deputies learned Gillum was in the area through the county’s Flock camera system.
"This disturbing case highlights how technology like FLOCK and strong partnerships between agencies can help prevent potential violence and bring wanted fugitives into custody safely before a tragedy could occur," said Sheriff Eric Aden.
When officers arrested Gillum, they recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from his hotel room, the sheriff's office said. (Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office)
Deputies also recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from Gillum's hotel room.
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Gillium is being held in the Okaloosa County jail pending extradition to Louisiana.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-north-carolina-police-officer-accused-threatening-mass-shooting-new-orleans-festival