Former NC cop arrested in Florida, accused of plotting mass shooting at New Orleans Jazz Fest
(Confiscated gun and ammo)
A former North Carolina police officer has been arrested in Florida after authorities say he was traveling to New Orleans to carry out a planned mass shooting at a major music festival, prompting swift multi-agency intervention to prevent potential tragedy.
Christopher Gillum, 45, of Chapel Hill, was taken into custody around 6:40 p.m. on April 22 at a hotel in Destin, Florida, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators located Gillum using the county’s Flock camera system after receiving alerts from federal and out-of-state authorities that he may be in the area.
Gillum was wanted in Louisiana on charges of making terroristic threats, with officials alleging he intended to target a large festival in New Orleans—widely believed to be the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which begins April 24 and draws massive crowds each year.
Deputies recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from Gillum’s hotel room, underscoring the seriousness of his alleged plot. He is currently being held in the Okaloosa County Jail and is expected to be extradited to Louisiana.
The case highlights a strong Florida connection, as Gillum was intercepted while passing through the state en route to Louisiana. Authorities say he had earlier been stopped by law enforcement in Okaloosa County but released when he did not meet legal criteria for detention. He was later arrested after a warrant was issued.
Gillum’s background has drawn particular attention. He previously served as a sworn police officer in Chapel Hill from 2004 to 2019 and held multiple law enforcement-related roles in North Carolina in the years that followed, including positions as a detention officer and sheriff’s deputy. He resigned from his most recent role in 2025.
According to law enforcement bulletins, Gillum’s family had reported him missing days before his arrest, citing concerns about his mental health and alleging he had made threats of violence, including racially motivated remarks. Authorities said there were no legal grounds to detain him at that time.
The Associated Press reports that Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday, telling law enforcement in North Carolina that he had a history of self-harm and “expressed recent threats to harm ‘Black people,'” Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina said.
Despite the alarming allegations, Louisiana State Police emphasized there are currently “no known direct threats” to any festivals in the state. Organizers of Jazz Fest also expressed confidence in ongoing security coordination with federal, state, and local agencies. Officials say the arrest demonstrates how coordinated efforts—spanning multiple states and supported by technology—can disrupt potential acts of violence before they occur.
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(Sources: Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Rolling Stone, Fox News, AP News, MSN)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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