Arrest made in threat that forced FEMA operations to pause briefly in North Carolina
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A North Carolina man was arrested for allegedly threatening the lives of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who were helping Hurricane Helene victims.
William Parsons, 44, faces a criminal charge of "going armed to the terror of the public."
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said it received a call Saturday about a man with an assault rifle threatening to harm FEMA employees in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area. The threat was reportedly made at a gas station in town and relayed to soldiers in the area who then called the sheriff's office to report the threat.
Deputies responded to the report and ultimately gathered enough evidence to arrest Parsons for making the threat. Parsons was booked but later released on a $10,000 bond.
The threat itself caused FEMA to make adjustments to how workers carried out their tasks over the weekend.
A FEMA spokesperson told ABC News that the agency continues to support communities impacted by Helene and to help survivors apply for assistance.
"For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments," the spokesperson said. "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."
Initial reports suggested that the threat included "armed militia," however Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said deputies determined Parsons acted alone.
"There were no truck loads of militia going to Lake Lure," the department said in a statement about the case.
"FEMA along with other state, federal and local response workers are working around the clock to bring assistance to western North Carolina," Gov. Roy Cooper's Deputy Communications Director Jordan Monaghan said in a statement. "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. The Governor has directed the Department of Public Safety to identify with local law enforcement the specific threats and rumors and coordinate with FEMA and other partners to ensure safety and security as this recovery effort continues."
Threats to FEMA employees have been consistent during the Hurricane response, along with misinformation, federal authorities told ABC News.
Search and rescue efforts in the affected areas continue, a federal source told ABC News. However, while FEMA assesses potential threat information, disaster survivor assistance teams are currently working at fixed locations and secure areas instead of going door to door, out of an abundance of caution, the source said, adding that FEMA will monitor threat information and make adjustments to this posture on a regular basis in coordination with local officials.
A FEMA spokesperson told ABC News that the agency continues to support communities impacted by Helene and to help survivors apply for assistance.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told ABC News Friday during a press briefing that threats to FEMA employees are a "shame" and a "distraction."
"We continuously monitor the social media, channels, other outlets where we're seeing this information, because we want to make sure we're providing for the safest environment for our employees, and making sure that they know that their safety is first and foremost for us as they go out into these communities," Criswell said in response to a question from ABC News.
FEMA hires people from local communities when disaster hits, Criswell said, noting that "many" leave their families behind to go and help communities who are impacted by disaster.
Misinformation 'unlike anything we've seen before'
Misinformation circulating about the federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton has hampered response efforts to the storms, CNN previously reported. President Joe Biden requested information last week on the federal government's digital response, including how officials were remediating misinformation, an administration official said.
"The contours of this misinformation are unlike anything we've seen before," a senior Biden administration official told CNN.
FEMA officials have received threats before, but the difference is the magnitude of threats received in the wake of Helene's devastation in North Carolina, the FEMA spokesperson told CNN.
SEE ALSO | Harris calls Trump 'incredibly irresponsible' for spreading misinformation about Helene response
Senior US officials have instructed public affairs teams at federal agencies to ramp up social media posts from government accounts with photos that illustrate how federal workers are clearing debris and dispensing aid, a US official familiar with the effort said.
Earlier this month, the public information officer for Rutherford County, Kerry Giles, told CNN that debunking the rumors "did consume resources that could have been more effectively utilized in the recovery efforts." Rutherford and surrounding counties have been posting photos and information about aid efforts to combat the misinformation.
ABC News and CNN contributed to this report.
