A North Carolina man has been charged with using an assault rifle to threaten FEMA workers helping the state recover from Hurricane Helen.
Just before 1 p.m. Saturday, Rutherford County Sheriff's Office deputies reported a man with an assault rifle made comments that he could harm FEMA personnel in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas. received.
Rutherford County deputies alerted Lake Lure officials and other local agencies once they became aware of the threat.
Once at the scene in Polk County where the threat was made, investigators were able to obtain a description of the suspect's vehicle and share information about the suspect with other agencies.
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William Jacob Parsons, 44, of Bostic, is accused of threatening FEMA workers in western North Carolina, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office. (Rutherford County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina)
An hour after the call, authorities were able to track down the suspect, who was identified as William Jacob Parsons, 44, of Bostic.
Parsons was taken into custody and charged with being armed and terrorizing the public, officials said.
Parsons was transported to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Detention Center, where he was posted on a $10,000 secured bond. He later posted bail and was released from custody, officials said.
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The town of Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, after flash flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Deputies said they also recovered a handgun and a rifle that Parsons had at the time of his arrest.
Initial reports suggested militiamen in a truck were involved, authorities said. However, further investigation revealed that Parson was acting alone and that there was no militia in a truck to attack FEMA personnel at Lake Lure.
FEMA announced over the weekend that it was making “operational adjustments” due to safety concerns.
“Out of an abundance of caution, FEMA made operational changes based on threat information. This change does not affect ongoing search and rescue or life safety operations, and disaster recovery centers remain open. Threats “The enforcement action is more limited than originally reported and has been reduced by law,” FEMA said in a statement sent to FOX News Digital.
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Power crews are working 16 to 17 hours a day to restore power to people in the mountains affected by Hurricane Helen. (Adam Eugene Willis, Fox News Digital)
“FEMA personnel remain in the area and survivors are encouraged to continue registering for assistance. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams have resumed normal operations on the ground and housing inspectors are assisting survivors with necessary and deserved assistance.” We will resume testing schedules to ensure support is available,” the statement continued. .
On Monday, FEMA also suspended community assistance operations in Orangeburg County due to a safety incident involving local residents. WGHP first reported.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's office also issued a statement to FEMA regarding concerns about the safety of the organization's employees.
“State, federal and local responders, including FEMA, are working around the clock to bring aid to western North Carolina,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “We recognize that significant misinformation online is contributing to the threat to response workers in the field, and the safety of our responders must be our top priority. By direction, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety is working with partners like FEMA to help ensure safety and security as they continue their important work. ”
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FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell echoed Cooper's sentiments, adding that in addition to the safety of FEMA employees, supporting communities affected by both hurricanes is a top priority.
“Protecting the safety of FEMA employees assisting people in communities affected by disasters is always my top priority. We are working diligently with local law enforcement to understand the full situation. However, we wanted to make sure that our personnel on the ground are protected,” Criswell said. . “Thanks to Governor Roy Cooper and his team, and our close partnership with local law enforcement, FEMA teams will soon be able to do what they do best: meet people where they are and go door to door. FEMA will resume registering survivors seeking assistance and all federal family members will remain in North Carolina for as long as necessary to help these communities recover, ensuring the safety of FEMA. “We will continue to reach as many North Carolinians as possible to get them the help they need.”
