Former police officer arrested over alleged mass shooting plot at Louisiana festival

Former police officer Christopher Gillum was arrested in a Florida hotel on Wednesday night, where authorities found a gun and nearly 200 rounds of ammunition. Gillum, who hails from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was wanted by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for terroristic threats.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Gillum was allegedly planning to travel to a festival in New Orleans to carry out a mass shooting and then engage in a suicide by cop scenario. He was apprehended with a handgun and ammunition in his hotel room.

Gillum served as a Chapel Hill Police officer from 2004 to 2019, resigning in the latter year. He briefly returned as a non-sworn employee in 2024 before moving on to another position. In June 2025, he was honored as the Officer of the Month by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina for his role in apprehending an alleged gas station robbery suspect.

The Louisiana State Police did not disclose the specific festival Gillum was targeting but assured the public that there were no direct threats to any festivals in the state. Gillum is currently in custody in Florida, awaiting extradition to Louisiana.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Louisiana State Police and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill commended the authorities for their diligent work on the case.