A former state trooper from North Carolina was arrested late Wednesday for allegedly threatening to execute a shooting at a festival in New Orleans, according to officials.
Christopher Gillum, 45, was taken into custody at a hotel in Destin, Florida, by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. He is wanted in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, for purportedly making terroristic threats, with claims that he intended to go to the festival, carry out a shooting, and then take his own life.
Authorities did not specify which festival was being targeted, but Louisiana State Police stated on Thursday that “there is no known direct threat to any festivals in Louisiana.” The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was about to begin its first weekend.
According to a statement from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Gillum, who is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was sought by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for making “terroristic threats.” His arrest occurred at a hotel in Destin, Florida.
Alex Carrasquillo, the communications manager for Chapel Hill, confirmed that Gillum had worked for the town from 2004 until 2019. He returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024, taking up a different position before the year ended.
Currently, Gillum is being held in a Florida jail while awaiting extradition to Louisiana. Authorities in both Louisiana and Florida highlighted the cooperation between agencies, noting that they were alerted to Gillum’s presence through license plate reading technology.
“This alarming case demonstrates how technology like FLOCK and solid partnerships among government agencies can help prevent potential violence and safely apprehend wanted fugitives before something terrible happens,” said Sheriff Eric Eiden.
When Gillum was arrested, deputies found a handgun along with around 200 rounds of ammunition in his hotel room.
