Christopher Gillum, a former North Carolina police officer, was arrested in Destin, Florida, after investigators say he planned a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival and intended to provoke a fatal police response. Deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds from his hotel room, and he is being held pending extradition to Louisiana. Authorities located him using the Flock camera network after family members reported concerns he had expressed violent intentions toward Black people. Louisiana State Police and the FBI are investigating; officials say there are no known direct threats to festivals at this time.
Former North Carolina Officer Arrested in Florida After Alleged Plot Targeting New Orleans Festival
A Facebook post from the Orange County Sheriff's Office made in July 2025 shows Christopher Gillum was named "Officer of the Month" for June of that year. - Orange County Sheriff's Office
A former North Carolina police officer and sheriff’s deputy, Christopher Gillum of Chapel Hill, was arrested in Destin, Florida, after investigators say they uncovered information indicating he planned a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival and intended to provoke a lethal police response.
Gillum is wanted in Orleans Parish on a charge of making terroristic threats. Okaloosa County deputies took him into custody without incident at a Destin hotel after locating him through the county’s Flock camera network, authorities said. Deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammunition from his room. He is being held in the Okaloosa County Jail pending extradition to Louisiana.
Allegations and Early Warnings
Police in Burlington, North Carolina, initially issued an alert after family members reported Gillum had a Glock handgun and had expressed interest in harming Black people, a law enforcement official said. Investigators say they obtained information that Gillum planned to travel to a New Orleans festival to carry out a mass shooting and then seek a fatal confrontation with police — often described as "suicide by cop."
Background and Employment
Gillum worked in law enforcement in North Carolina for more than a decade. He served as a Chapel Hill police officer from 2004 until he resigned in 2019, and returned briefly in 2024 as a non-sworn employee before leaving later that year, town officials told reporters. He also worked with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer beginning in October 2023 and left that role in July 2024. Officials say he was hired as a deputy in January of last year and resigned in September.
Investigation and Responses
Louisiana State Police said it is investigating the case in coordination with the FBI but declined to release additional details “to avoid compromising the investigation.” State police added there are currently no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana.
“This level of coordination extended to law enforcement agencies in multiple states from North Carolina to Florida. This is where urgent collaboration and cooperation pays off,” New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said, praising interagency efforts.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden highlighted the role of technology and partnerships: "Operations like this show how tools such as Flock and strong interagency collaboration can help prevent potential violence and bring wanted individuals into custody safely." Flock Safety’s outdoor license-plate-reading (LPR) cameras and associated AI search tools are used by thousands of agencies to locate vehicles and support investigations, according to the sheriff’s office.
Festival Context and Security
Authorities did not specify which festival Gillum allegedly intended to target. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Jazz Fest) typically draws hundreds of thousands of attendees in late April and early May and has heightened security in recent months following a deadly attack on Bourbon Street during New Year’s Eve celebrations last year.
Officials cautioned the public that the investigation remains active and that further details may be released as state and federal authorities continue their work. As with any arrest, suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
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