A former North Carolina police officer was arrested Wednesday night in Florida for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a festival in New Orleans. Christopher Gillum, 45, was taken into custody at a hotel in Destin, Florida, after authorities said he intended to travel to Louisiana to carry out the attack. Investigators recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from his hotel room.
Gillum, a resident of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was wanted by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for terroristic threats. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed his arrest, stating that Gillum was believed to be targeting a festival in New Orleans and planned to commit suicide by cop afterward. Authorities did not specify which festival was the intended target, though the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was scheduled to begin Thursday.
Gillum’s family reported him missing Tuesday, citing a history of self-harm and threats against Black people, according to a police bulletin from Burlington, North Carolina. Authorities said he left the state before they could initiate an involuntary commitment, as there were no legal grounds to detain him at the time. Earlier Wednesday, Gillum was stopped by law enforcement in Okaloosa County but was released because he did not meet criteria for arrest or commitment.
Deputies later conducted surveillance after learning he was under investigation and arrested him once a warrant was issued from Louisiana. Gillum is expected to be extradited to Louisiana to face charges.
Gillum served as a police officer in Chapel Hill from 2004 to 2019 before resigning. He returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 but left by the end of that year. In June 2025, he was named Officer of the Month by the Orange County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office for his work in apprehending a gas station robbery suspect.
Authorities highlighted the collaboration between multiple agencies and the use of license plate reader technology in tracking and arresting Gillum. The Louisiana State Police stated there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana.