FEMA was forced to pause life-saving relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene after an armed North Carolina man allegedly threatened workers.
On Saturday, a 911 call was made about a man armed with an assault rifle threatening FEMA employees. The man reportedly claimed there were "truck loads full of militia going to Lake Lure," according to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office said that the threat to Lake Lure and Chimney Rock was allegedly made at a gas station, where it was relayed to soldiers who alerted the deputies, as reported by ABC11.
The emergency aid workers had to pause "going out into the community" to offer their relief services and instead worked from "fixed locations" until the threat was addressed, FEMA and the Buncombe County government said in statements obtained by WRAL.
William Jacob Parsons, 44, was later found armed with a handgun and a rifle, and arrested. He was charged with going armed to the terror of the public.
The sheriff's office said it investigated the claims about the "truck loads of militia," but found no evidence to support the claims.
Misinformation surrounding the hurricane began circulating online after rumors that the federal government was blocking hurricane relief efforts for political gain were promoted by former President Donald Trump, despite no supporting evidence, as reported by CNN.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper addressed this in a statement regarding the threats, "We know that significant misinformation online contributes to threats against response workers on the ground, and the safety of responders must be a priority. At my direction, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety is helping partners like FEMA to coordinate with law enforcement to ensure their safety and security as they continue their important work."
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