Authorities arrest former officer, thwart potential mass shooting plot

Deputies tracked Gillum to a hotel near the Florida Panhandle, where they say he was found with a firearm and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.

(NBC)- A potential terror attack has been prevented after authorities in Florida arrested a former law enforcement officer accused of planning a mass shooting.

Officials say Christopher Gillum was taken into custody by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office after investigators learned he intended to travel to New Orleans to carry out an attack at a festival.

Deputies tracked Gillum to a hotel near the Florida Panhandle, where they say he was found with a firearm and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.

According to reports from Associated Press, Gillum’s family had previously alerted North Carolina authorities, saying he was armed and had made threats to harm Black individuals.

While officials did not confirm a specific target, security concerns heightened around the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which begins this week and attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees.

In a statement, festival organizers thanked law enforcement for their efforts, calling the arrest a critical step in ensuring public safety.

Jeff Landry praised the swift response and said security in New Orleans is being increased.

“We’re going to continue to ramp up our security to protect those coming in and out of the city,” Landry said. “This was a great outcome to what could have been a tragic event.”

Authorities say Gillum, who previously served more than a decade in law enforcement in North Carolina, is now awaiting extradition to Louisiana after appearing before a judge in Florida.

The case comes amid heightened security concerns in New Orleans following last year’s deadly attack on Bourbon Street, where a driver killed 14 people.