A former North Carolina police officer wanted for threatening to commit a mass shooting was arrested in Florida.
Christopher Gillum, of Chapel Hill, N.C., was taken into custody without incident at a Destin hotel about 6:40 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department. Law enforcement received information Gillum was in Destin, which is in the Florida panhandle, and tracked him down.
Deputies recovered a handgun and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from Gillum’s hotel room. The county’s Flock camera system was used to help verify his presence. Law enforcement agencies all over the country use Flock Safety systems to record everything from tag numbers to bumper stickers to car colors.
“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,” said Sheriff Eric Aden.
Where was former police officer allegedly planning mass shooting?
Gillum was planning a mass shooting at a festival in New Orleans, authorities said.
It’s not clear when the festival was to take place or Gillum’s motive. He was arrested on charges of making a terroristic threat.
Gillum is being held at the Okaloosa Couty jail pending extradition to Louisiana.
He was a Chapel Hill police officer beginning in 2004 and resigned in 2019, a spokesperson for the city told WRAL news.
Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Former police officer arrested in Florida for planning mass shooting
Reporting by Michelle Spitzer, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
