A North Carolina man has been arrested for allegedly making threatening remarks to Federal Emergency Management Agency employees in Rutherford County as they continue to clean up the wreckage of Hurricane Helen.
William Parsons, 44, was arrested by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office after authorities received a report that he was armed and making threatening statements toward FEMA personnel, calling him “armed and terrorizing the public.” He was charged with “causing a crime.'' According to local news outlets.
Parsons was armed with a rifle and a handgun when he was arrested Sunday. He was released on $10,000 bail.
The hint is called to the soldiers Part of the hurricane response in the devastated areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. The trooper reported that he witnessed Mr. Parsons making threatening remarks inside the store.
FEMA operations were suspended Sunday because of the threat. These services resumed on Monday.
“FEMA continues to support communities affected by Helen and assist survivors in applying for assistance,” a FEMA spokesperson said in a statement. “Disaster recovery centers will remain open as scheduled, survivors will continue to register for assistance, and we will continue to help North Carolinians recover.”
Panic spread among hurricane response workers after initial reports that “armed militias” were attempting to confront relief workers.
The claim stems from an alert sent by U.S. Forest Service officials on Saturday, which read in part that the National Guard had “encountered an armed militia truck that they said was hunting FEMA.” It was written. According to the Washington Post.
A spokesperson for the North Carolina National Guard did not identify the person who made the report.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said Parsons and others were acting alone and are not aware of any other credible threats, but remain on high alert.
His arrest came after multiple misinformation about the federal government spread online Attempting to occupy land in the Chimney Rock area. The small mountain town was devastated by Hurricane Helen on September 26, even though it was 600 miles from where the storm made landfall.
Power was restored to the Chimney Rock Fire Department last Thursday, but many homes and businesses in the area are still without power.
“This is a war zone.” Sean Calvert of Duke Energy said:power has been restored to the fire department. “Half of the town of Chimney Rock, there are five or six businesses that used to be here that are completely gone. The rest of the houses here are half washed away.”
