Man arrested on suspicion of planning mass shooting at New Orleans festival
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- A man suspected of planning a mass shooting at a major New Orleans festival was arrested at a Florida hotel with a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition.
- The suspect, identified as Christopher Gillum from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was wanted for terroristic threats and is a former police officer who served from 2004 to 2019.
- Authorities were alerted by federal agencies and arrested Gillum without incident; he will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges.
- Louisiana state police and the FBI are continuing to investigate, with officials stating there are currently no known direct threats to any Louisiana festivals.
- New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno praised the multi-state law enforcement coordination that led to the arrest.
