Ex-Officer Arrested in Planned New Orleans Festival Mass Shooting Plot
Christopher Gillum was arrested in Destin with a handgun and about 200 rounds after federal tips said he planned a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival.
FOX NewsFormer North Carolina police officer arrested for allegedly planning mass shooting at New Orleans festival
FOX NewsFormer North Carolina police officer accused of threatening mass shooting at New Orleans festival
Rolling StoneMan Arrested After Allegedly Making Plans for Mass Shooting at New Orleans Jazz Fest
ABC NewsEx-officer planned to kill Black people in New Orleans mass shooting, authorities say
Overview
Christopher Gillum, 45, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was arrested Wednesday night at a Destin, Florida hotel after deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammunition, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said.
Federal authorities told the sheriff’s office they believed Gillum was heading to Louisiana to carry out a mass shooting at a large New Orleans festival and that he was wanted for terroristic threats, authorities said.
Louisiana State Police said they are investigating the episode with the FBI and that at this time there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana, a state police spokesperson said.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival drew about 460,000 people last year and is scheduled to begin April 23, according to organizers and reports.
Gillum was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges there, and authorities said investigations and multi-state cooperation are ongoing.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this reporting neutrally: they attribute allegations to law enforcement and police bulletins, avoid evaluative reporter language, and include countervailing details such as the bulletin noting no grounds for involuntary commitment, family reports of self-harm, and the festival’s statement praising law enforcement efforts.