Former North Carolina Officer Arrested in Florida Over Alleged New Orleans Festival Mass Shooting Plot

Christopher Gillum, 45, a former Chapel Hill, North Carolina, police officer, was arrested April 22 at a hotel in Destin, Florida, after authorities said he planned to travel to New Orleans to carry out a mass shooting at a festival and then be killed by responding officers. Gillum was wanted in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, on a terroristic threats charge and was being held in the Okaloosa County Jail pending extradition, according to CNN and ABC7. Deputies recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from his hotel room at the time of the arrest, USA Today reported.

The Details

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that 'authorities obtained information Gillum planned to travel to a festival in New Orleans to conduct a mass shooting and then commit suicide by cop.' The arrest took place on April 22, according to ABC News. Gillum previously served as a Chapel Hill Police Department officer from 2004 to 2019, according to ABC7. He later worked for the Orange County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina before returning to Chapel Hill in 2024 as a non-sworn employee, a position he left later that year, according to ABC News and ABC7.

A North Carolina law enforcement bulletin, cited by Fox 8 New Orleans, said Gillum's family had reported that he recently made threats to harm Black people and that he possessed a firearm. Fox 8 New Orleans cited the bulletin in its reporting on the arrest.

Authorities in Louisiana said the specific festival allegedly targeted had not been publicly identified. CNN noted that the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was scheduled to begin April 24. Louisiana State Police Sergeant Ross Brennan said in a statement, 'At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana,' while adding that the investigation was continuing with assistance from the FBI, according to USA Today.

Gillum was charged with terroristic threats in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, and was awaiting extradition from Okaloosa County Jail in Florida, according to CNN and ABC7. No attorney for Gillum was identified in reports as of publication.

Context

The arrest comes less than four months after the Bourbon Street attack on New Year's Eve 2025, in which a vehicle was driven into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans, killing 14 people, according to CNN. That attack prompted New Orleans to increase public safety measures across the city, CNN reported.

New Orleans hosts major public festivals each year. Authorities have not said whether the Jazz & Heritage Festival, which was set to open April 24, was the specific target of the alleged plot, according to CNN.

Gillum served as a Chapel Hill police officer for roughly 15 years before leaving in 2019, then briefly returned to the department in a non-sworn capacity in 2024, according to ABC7. Chapel Hill officials confirmed the timeline but did not publicly address the circumstances of either departure.

What's Next

Gillum remains held in the Okaloosa County Jail in Florida pending extradition proceedings to Louisiana, according to ABC7. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said the investigation was ongoing as of April 23, according to USA Today.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said in a statement, 'This is where urgent collaboration and cooperation pays off,' praising the multi-agency response that led to the arrest, according to Fox 8 New Orleans. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also commended Louisiana State Police and the FBI for their role in the case, according to ABC News.