A 44-year-old man from Bostic, N.C., was arrested Saturday after deputies say they received a report he “had an assault rifle and made the comment about possibly harming FEMA employees.”
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office charged William Jacob Parsons with “going armed to the terror of the public” and officials said he was armed with a handgun and a rifle, according to a sheriff’s office news release issued Monday.
When authorities were first told of the alleged threats to FEMA employees, the sheriff’s office alerted law enforcement in Lake Lure and other jurisdictions, officials stated in the news release. Parsons was arrested roughly one hour after deputies obtained a description of his car, the sheriff’s office said.
“The initial report stated there was a truck load of militia that was involved. However, after further investigation, it was determined Parsons acted alone and there were no truck loads of militia going to Lake Lure,” the release stated.
On Sunday, BPR News reported FEMA had temporarily made operational adjustments in response to at least one reported threat over the weekend.
According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Parsons was booked at the local detention center and a magistrate set his bond at $10,000 on Saturday. He was released on bail that night, the agency said.
No injuries were reported.
As previously reported by BPR News, conspiracy theories about FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina have been pervasive — including unfounded claims that the federal agency is blocking aid and seizing land in Chimney Rock or Lake Lure. Local, state, and federal leaders — both Republican and Democrat — have decried the wave of misinformation, largely powered by social media.
It is unclear what alleged threats Parsons made regarding FEMA employees. He lives about 30 miles from the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas of Rutherford County. The sheriff’s office on Monday said Parsons was in nearby Polk County at the time the alleged crime occurred.