DESTIN — Florida authorities on Thursday identified a North Carolina former police officer who was reportedly planning a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival this weekend. 

Christopher Gillum was arrested Wednesday evening by Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies at a Destin hotel along Scenic Highway 98. Gillum had a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition when he was arrested. Gillum was located using the county's FLOCK camera system, deputies added.

According to deputies, he planned on driving to New Orleans to conduct a mass shooting and then commit suicide by cop. This weekend is the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

ABC News reports that Gillum was a Chapel Hill Police officer from 2004 to 2019, when he resigned. According to The Associated Press, Gillum had been hired as a detention officer by the sheriff’s office in Orange County, North Carolina, in October 2023 but he left in July 2024.

The AP reported that Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday and mentioned he had a history of self-harm. Gillum’s family told law enforcement he had a gun and “expressed recent threats to harm 'Black people.'” Officials said there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about Black people “because there was no victim.”

AP added that Gillum crossed state lines before his agency could prepare the paperwork to involuntarily commit him to psychiatric treatment.

Reports indicated that Okaloosa deputies were initially asked to make a “welfare check” on Gillum on Wednesday morning and were “not aware” of any threats he had made. Later that day, after the sheriff's office learned Gillum was being investigated, deputies surveilled him until a signed warrant arrived from Louisiana.

Gillum is being held in the Okaloosa County jail pending extradition to Louisiana, where he will be booked on charges from Louisiana State Police. Gillum is wanted in Orleans Parish by the Department of Public Safety for terroristic threats, deputies added.

"Jazz Fest is grateful to all law enforcement partners for their dedication and exceptional service in protecting our community," the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival said when asked about the arrest. "As always, we coordinate closely with the FBI, Louisiana State Police, NOPD, NOCEM, and other agencies, and we will continue to do so as we look forward to another safe and joyful Jazz Fest."

Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday and he had a history of self-harm, according to Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Gillum’s family told law enforcement he had a gun and “expressed recent threats to harm ‘Black people,’” according to a bulletin from police in Burlington, North Carolina.

Lyons said Gillum crossed state lines before his agency could prepare the paperwork to involuntarily commit him to psychiatric treatment. Lyons said that there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about Black people “because there was no victim.”

“But we felt that there was definitely something there that needed to be shared, so that’s what we did,” Lyons said.

Gillum was located and stopped by law enforcement in Oklaloosa County on Wednesday, according to Lyons and the Burlington police bulletin.

However, Gillum “did not present any grounds for involuntary commitment or criminal charges” and was allowed to continue on his way, the bulletin stated. Gillum told officers that he was “enroute to New Orleans,” the report added.

Okaloosa deputies were initially asked to make a “welfare check” on Gillum Wednesday morning and were “not aware” of any threats he had made, sheriff spokesperson Michele Nicholson said. Later that day, after the sheriff's office learned Gillum was being investigated, deputies surveilled him until a signed warrant arrived from Louisiana, she added.