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Man arrested outside relief site after threats against workers forces FEMA
to cancel appointments, pause operations for days

Several FEMA locations have reopened in western North Carolina after being forced to cancel appointments and pause operations over reported threats against workers.

Threats made against Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers in western North Carolina have hindered the agency's ability to assist those impacted by Helene.

Governor Roy Cooper will be addressing the threats against FEMA workers at
a news conference Tuesday morning. You can watch it live on WRAL.com at
10:30 a.m.

"For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments," the agency said
Monday morning.

Door-to-door visits were halted. Press releases from the Buncombe County government said FEMA workers switched from "going out into the community to help survivors" to working from "fixed locations."
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This was all because of a 911 call that was made Saturday in Rutherford
County about an armed man threatening FEMA workers in the Lake Lure and
Chimney Rock areas and "truck loads full of militia going to Lake Lure."

According to the Rutherford County Sheriff�s Office, the 911 call and a tip
led them to 44-year-old William Parsons, of Bostic.

Parsons was arrested outside a grocery store that was being used as a
relief site, according to Capt. Keever with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
William Parsons, 44, was charged on Saturday, Oct. 12, with going armed to
the terror of the public an hour after 911 operators received a call about
an armed man making a comment about possible harming FEMA employees working
in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.
William Parsons, 44, was charged on Saturday, Oct. 12, with going armed to
the terror of the public an hour after 911 operators received a call about
an armed man making a comment about possible harming FEMA employees working
in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.

He was charged with "going armed to the terror of the public," a class 1 misdemeanor. Two guns, a rifle and a pistol, were confiscated from Parsons.
He was released from jail on a $10,000 bond late Saturday evening.

Within hours of the initial 911 call about Parsons, FEMA inspectors were canceling appointments and pausing operations across the mountains � an
area that was devastated by Helene, leaving many residents without homes
and basic necessities. These appointments were made by residents who needed help applying for assistance in the wake of this tragedy.
5 On Your Side: How to apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene

The sheriff�s office confirmed that it investigated initial reports about
the alleged truck loads full of militia.

In a press release late Monday, FEMA said the threat "was more limited than initially reported."

"However, after further investigation, it was determined Parsons acted
alone and there were no truck loads of militia going to Lake Lure," the
release said.

FEMA said the agency will resume normal operations in western North
Carolina. Housing inspectors will reschedule canceled or missed
appointments.

"Disaster Survivor Assistance teams will resume normal operations in the
field and housing inspectors will resume scheduling inspections to ensure survivors get the assistance they need and deserve," FEMA said.
Some have been critical of the government's response to Helene. Here's a breakdown of how disaster response works

The return to normal comes after two days of disruptions, stemming from
these threats.

"You get a little scared, because you�re, like, what�s the situation out
here that we�re not hearing about?" said Hamish Horton, whose FEMA
inspector canceled on him, citing threats of violence.

Horton's Black Mountain home was flooded during Helene.

"We haven�t heard anything via email, or mail, or phone call from FEMA, so
we have no idea when this is going to be resolved," he said.

In the Monday evening press release from FEMA, Governor Cooper put the
blame for the threat squarely on misinformation.

"We know that significant misinformation online contributes to threats
against response workers on the ground, and the safety of responders must
be a priority," Cooper said in the release. "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."


https://www.wral.com/story/man-arrested-outside-relief-site-after-threats- against-workers-forces-fema-to-cancel-appointments-pause-operations-for- days/21672882/

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