Authorities have arrested a former North Carolina law enforcement officer who allegedly planned to kill Black people in a mass shooting at a major New Orleans festival. Christopher Gillum was taken into custody at a Florida hotel with a handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Arrest Details
The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in Florida reported that Gillum was wanted for "terroristic threats." Federal authorities informed the sheriff's office that Gillum was in the Florida Panhandle and "heading to do a mass shooting at a large festival in Louisiana." The sheriff's office did not specify the federal agency involved, and the FBI office in New Orleans did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to the sheriff's office, Gillum was arrested without incident on Wednesday night at a hotel in Destin. Deputies recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from his hotel room.
Extradition and Background
Gillum was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges. It is not yet known if he has legal representation. The Associated Press left a message at phone numbers listed for him.
Gillum's family reported him missing on Tuesday. He has a history of self-harm, according to Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina. The family told law enforcement that Gillum had a gun and "expressed recent threats to harm 'Black people,'" according to a bulletin from Burlington, North Carolina police.
Lyons said Gillum crossed state lines before his agency could prepare paperwork to involuntarily commit him for psychiatric treatment. He noted there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about Black people "because there was no victim." However, Lyons added, "But we felt that there was definitely something there that needed to be shared, so that's what we did."
Gillum was located and stopped by law enforcement in Okaloosa County on Wednesday but was allowed to continue because he did not meet grounds for involuntary commitment or criminal charges. He told officers he was "enroute to New Orleans."
Initially, Okaloosa deputies conducted a "welfare check" on Gillum Wednesday morning and were unaware of any threats. Later, after learning of the investigation, deputies surveilled him until a signed warrant arrived from Louisiana, according to sheriff spokesperson Michele Nicholson.
Employment History
Gillum was hired as a detention officer by the Orange County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina in October 2023 but left in July 2024. He was rehired as a deputy on January 13, 2025, and resigned on September 21, 2025, according to department spokesperson Alicia L. Stemper. He also served as a sworn police officer for Chapel Hill from 2004 until his resignation in 2019 and returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 before leaving later that year.
Festival Response
While authorities did not name the specific festival, the widely known New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, began on Thursday and runs through May 3. The event celebrates Louisiana's music, food, and culture, attracting about 460,000 people last year.
Louisiana State Police Trooper Danny Berrincha said the agency is investigating with the FBI and noted, "At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana." The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival released a statement saying it works closely with law enforcement and applauded their efforts, adding, "We look forward to another safe and joyful Jazz Fest."
