RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — A man accused of threatening federal disaster workers in western North Carolina has been charged, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
On Saturday, deputies received a report about a man with an assault rifle who made a comment about possibly harming employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who were providing aid in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas following Hurricane Helene.
Investigators obtained a description of the suspect’s vehicle and shared it with other law enforcement agencies. He was later identified as William Jacob Parsons, 44, of Bostic.
Parsons was arrested and charged with “going armed to the terror of the public.” He was armed with a handgun and a rifle at the time of his arrest, the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Parsons posted a $10,000 secured bond and has since been released from custody.
The sheriff’s office said the initial report claimed that a “truck load of militia” was involved in the threat, but investigators later determined that Parsons acted alone.
Over the weekend, FEMA temporarily paused some of its recovery work in parts of North Carolina due to the threats, Ashe County Sheriff B. Phil Howell said in a Facebook post.
Howell said that while Ashe County didn’t get any threats, FEMA suspended operations in some areas “out of an abundance of caution” to assess the potential risk.
“Stay calm and steady during our recovery, help folks and please don’t stir the pot,” he wrote.
FEMA also announced that it was making “operational adjustments” due to safety concerns.
“For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments. Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery,” a spokesperson for the agency told Nexstar’s WGHP.
Gov. Roy Cooper’s office addressed the threats and emphasized that storm recovery crews are “working around the clock to bring assistance to western North Carolina.”
“We are aware of significant misinformation online and reports of threats to response workers on the ground and the safety of responders must be taken seriously,” Jordan Monaghan, deputy communications director for Gov. Cooper’s office, said in a statement.
Monaghan said the governor has also directed the Department of Public Safety to work with local law enforcement and FEMA to identify any potential threats amid ongoing recovery efforts.
