Former NC police officer accused of planning a mass shooting in New Orleans

Twumasi Duah-Mensah, The News & Observer on Apr 23, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

RALEIGH, N.C. — A former Chapel Hill police officer and Orange County sheriff’s deputy was arrested in the Florida panhandle, accused of plotting a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival.

Christopher Gillum, of Chapel Hill, was taken into custody at a Destin hotel in Okaloosa County, Florida, on Wednesday, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said in a Thursday statement.

Deputies recovered a handgun and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from Gillum’s hotel room, according to the statement.

Gillum is wanted in Orleans Parish for making terroristic threats, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said. Louisiana authorities said they have information Gillum planned to travel to a New Orleans festival, conduct a mass shooting and commit “suicide by cop.”

Gillum was a sworn Chapel Hill police officer from 2004 until he resigned in 2019, Chapel Hill town spokesperson Alex Carrasquillo wrote in a Thursday statement. He returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 until he left for another job by the end of that year.

Gillum became a deputy sheriff at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 13, 2025, records show. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Alicia Stemper told The N&O Gillum resigned on Sept. 21, 2025.

Investigators verified Gillum was in the area by using Okaloosa County’s Flock camera system, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said.

“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,” Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said.

The News & Observer has previously reported on Flock’s reach in North Carolina and concerns raised over the sharing of its data.

Gillum is being held in the Okaloosa County jail pending extradition to Louisiana, the Sheriff’s Office said.

_____