Ex-officer freed after grand jury rejects New Orleans attack charges

A former law enforcement officer who was arrested in Florida with ammunition and a handgun while allegedly heading to Louisiana to carry out a mass shooting has been released from custody. Christopher Gillum, 45, was freed shortly after a Louisiana grand jury in June declined to indict him on a state terrorism charge that could have carried up to 15 years in prison, according to court records.

Gillum, a white man from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken into custody in April by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said he had expressed threats to harm Black people and was found with hundreds of rounds of ammunition and a handgun. His arrest came on the eve of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, though officials did not name the event he was allegedly targeting.

The investigation involved the FBI and agencies from Louisiana, North Carolina, and Florida. Gillum's family had reported him missing and noted a history of self-harm. After his extradition to Louisiana, prosecutors faced several jurisdictional hurdles, according to Lester Duhe, a spokesperson for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Duhe said the threat relayed to a family member occurred in North Carolina, and Gillum never entered Louisiana until after his arrest. He also noted that Gillum had planned to travel to the Florida Keys during the same period.

Gillum's attorney, Dylan Utley, confirmed his client's release and said he faces no charges in other jurisdictions. The grand jury's foreperson declined to comment on the decision. Katherine Schweit, a former FBI executive who ran the agency's active shooter program, said thwarted plots often fail to produce indictments because proving intent is difficult.

Law enforcement in North Carolina, where court records list Gillum as residing, said they were not aware of his release. The Alamance County Sheriff's Office expressed concern about his return. The FBI New Orleans office deferred to prosecutors, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival declined to comment. The release had not been previously reported.