A North Carolina man arrested after threatening FEMA workers with an assault rifle while they were helping with recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene has been released from prison.
William Jacob Parsons has walked out on a $10,000 secured bond a day after being taken to prison and charged with going armed to terror of the public.
The incident in question took place on Saturday and comes amid a flurry of misinformation and conspiracy theories targeting FEMA and the Biden administration. Parsons was spotted by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office after receiving reports of an armed man talking about harming FEMA workers in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.
"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 sheriff's office said.
This and other similar cases led the agency to evacuate some of its workers in the area as they helped clean up debris and mud affecting some 65,000 residents. FEMA will now stay in set locations instead of going door-to-door to help people as they have usually done.
"FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and 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 agency said after the incident.
"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." FEMA added that the changes did not impact ongoing search and rescue and life-safety operations.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's office also issued a statement expressing concern over the episodes. "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."
Hurricane misinformation has ran rampant during these past weeks, with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene notably suggesting Democrats can "control de weather." "Yes they can control the weather," said Taylor Greene. "It's ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can't be done."
Trump also dabbled in misinformation, saying FEMA was $1 billion short because relief money was being sent to undocumented immigrants.
"You know, it's frankly ridiculous and just plain false. This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people. You know, it's really a shame that we're putting politics ahead of helping people, and that's what we're here to do," said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about the issue.
Criswell went on to express concern over the impact of misinformation, noting that such rhetoric is harmful to both disaster victims and emergency responders. She pointed out that local officials have joined FEMA in countering these false narratives, which she described as creating unnecessary fear among the public.
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