An armed North Carolina man was arrested after it was reported that he had made comments about “possibly harming FEMA employees” involved in hurricane relief efforts in the state, authorities said.
William Jacob Parsons, 44, was arrested Saturday after the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office received a call saying the caller witnessed Parsons making threatening comments about Federal Emergency Management Agency responders in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
He was charged with “Going Armed to the Terror of the Public,” the sheriff’s office said.
In Ashe County, FEMA operations were briefly put on pause in response to the threats and resumed today, the county sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
“FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance,” a FEMA spokesperson said.
Persons:
William Jacob Parsons, Parsons, “, ‘, ’ ”, Shayne Martin, Hurricane Helene, Donald Trump, Helene, ”, ” Parson, Alejandro Mayorkas, Trump
Organizations:
FEMA, Sheriff’s, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington Post, U.S . Forest Service, National Guard, ’, NBC News, Forest Service, North Carolina National Guard, Facebook, . Homeland, Institute for Strategic, North Carolina Department of Public
Locations:
North Carolina, Rutherford, Lake Lure, Rutherford County, U.S, N.C, Lure, Ashe County, Madison County, Asheville, London