A former North Carolina police officer has been arrested in Florida after authorities discovered he allegedly planned to carry out a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival and then die by suicide.
Christopher Gillum, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken into custody without incident on Wednesday (April 23) at approximately 6:40 p.m. at a hotel in Destin, Florida. According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Gillum is wanted in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, on a charge of making terroristic threats.
"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 sheriff's office said in a statement.
Deputies recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from Gillum's hotel room. Gillum is currently being held in the Okaloosa County Jail pending extradition to Louisiana.
Sheriff Eric Aden credited technology and inter-agency teamwork with stopping the alleged plot. "This disturbing case highlights how technology like FLOCK and strong partnerships between agencies can help prevent potential violence and bring wanted fugitives into custody safely before a tragedy could occur," Aden said.
Investigators located Gillum using the county's Flock camera system, which reads license plates and identifies vehicle details as they pass by. Around 6,000 law enforcement agencies across the United States use the technology.
Authorities have not confirmed which festival Gillum allegedly intended to target. However, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicked off on April 23 and runs through Sunday. The festival draws roughly 400,000 attendees each year to the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, about 2.5 miles from the city's French Quarter.
Matthew Goldman, press and advertising director for Jazz Fest, said organizers were "grateful to all law enforcement partners for their dedication and exceptional service in protecting our community," in a statement WVUE. Festival organizers added that they coordinate closely with the FBI, Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), and "will continue to do so as we look forward to another safe and joyful Jazz Fest."
Gillum worked as a Chapel Hill police officer from 2004 until he resigned in 2019. He returned to the department in 2024 as a non-sworn employee before leaving for another job by the end of that year. He also served as a detention officer at the Orange County Sheriff's Office beginning in October 2023, left in July 2024, and was then hired as a deputy in January 2025 before resigning in September of that same year.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno praised the swift coordination across state lines that led to the arrest. "This level of coordination extended to law enforcement agencies in multiple states from North Carolina to Florida. This is where urgent collaboration and cooperation pays off," Moreno said.
Louisiana State Police said it is investigating the case alongside the FBI and is withholding further details to avoid compromising the investigation. In a statement, Louisiana State Police Sgt. Ross Brennan said, "At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana."
The arrest comes less than four months after a terror attack on Bourbon Street killed 14 people during New Year's Eve celebrations, an event that prompted New Orleans to significantly increase its public safety measures. Attorney information for Gillum was not immediately available.
