By Erika Hernandez
A former police officer was arrested Wednesday night at a resort in Destin, Florida, after being accused of planning a mass shooting at a New Orleans competitionaccording to authorities.
The detainee was identified as Christopher Gillum, a resident of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who skills wanted by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for alleged “terrorist threats”according to a news release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Gillum was located and detained without incident in his resort room.
Weapons and ammunition seized
During the operation, Officers found a firearm and approximately 200 rounds of ammunitionwhich reinforced suspicions about the planning of a possible attack.
Authorities said Gillum allegedly intended to travel to a competition in New Orleans to carry out the shooting and subsequently provoke a deadly confrontation with police.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Louisiana State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), within the framework of an anti-terrorism task force.
Although it has not been specified which event is the target, state authorities assured that “there are no known direct threats” against festivals in Louisiana at this time.
Suspect’s background
Gillum worked as a police officer in Chapel Hill between 2004 and 2019, the year he resigned from the position.. He subsequently returned in 2024 as a non-sworn employee before leaving the position again later that year.
So far, no information regarding his correct representation has been released.
The suspect remains in custody in a Florida jail, awaiting extradition to Louisiana, where he will face the corresponding charges.
Authorities highlighted coordination between agencies to prevent a possible attack and stressed the importance of interinstitutional cooperation in the early detection of threats.
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