North Carolina—Over the weekend, a North Carolina man was arrested after someone reported comments he made indicating he wanted to harm FEMA workers.
William Parsons, 44, was arrested after he was found sitting in his vehicle outside a North Carolina grocery store that was being used as a storm relief site.
In a statement from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s office, it was revealed that Parsons was in possession of a handgun and a rifle.
Officers were able to locate Parsons after they received a tip with information about about the color and license plate of his vehicle.
The initial investigation began after the Sheriff’s office received a phone call from someone stating that a man “made the comment about possibly harming FEMA employees working after the disaster of Hurricane Helene in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area.”
Parsons was charged with “Going armed to the terror of the public,” a misdemeanor, and he is currently free on a $10,000 bond.
FEMA Offices Closed Due to Threat
From reporting by CNN:
Aid to several communities impacted by Hurricane Helene was temporarily paused in parts of North Carolina over the weekend due to reports of threats against Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] responders, amid a backdrop of misinformation about responses to recent storms.
Door-to-door outreaches resumed after about a day, a FEMA spokesperson said Monday. FEMA wanted to ensure it protected staff on the ground while the agency worked with local law enforcement officials to assess the threats and how serious they were, according to the spokesperson.
