Debris from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on Oct. 2.Mike Stewart/The Associated Press
This article is part of The Globe’s initiative to cover dis- and misinformation. Email us to share tips or feedback at disinfodesk@globeandmail.com.
Claims that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers in North Carolina were being targeted by a “truck load of militia” have been debunked by local police.
A suspect was arrested on Oct. 12 after police responded to a call that an armed man had made comments about possibly harming FEMA employees. FEMA has been a major part of disaster response in areas devastated by Hurricane Helene including Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
William Jacob Parsons from Bostic, N.C., was charged and released on a US$10,000 bond over the alleged incident. A statement by the Rutherford County Sheriff in North Carolina said Mr. Parsons was armed with a handgun and a rifle and that “Parsons acted alone and there were no truck loads of militia going to Lake Lure.” Lake Lure is a small town in western North Carolina.
Screenshots of a statement posted to Facebook by the Rutherford County Sheriff, left, and the mugshot of William Parsons, who was arrested for allegedly threatening FEMA employees.Rutherford County Sheriff
FEMA did not leave hurricane-affected areas
Claims FEMA pulled out of hurricane-affected areas due to threats were false. It did pause door-to-door visits in an “abundance of caution.”.
In a statement on Oct. 14, FEMA said, “We made the decision to shift from sending FEMA disaster survivors assistance teams into neighborhoods to knock on doors to stationing teams at neighborhood locations where they could still meet and work with disaster survivors to help them get assistance.”
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that FEMA had resumed door-to-door visits to hurricane victims.
FEMA has been a target for misleading and false claims
FEMA and the federal government’s response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene have been the target of extensive dis- and misinformation, which The Globe has covered.
Addressing the issue in a statement on Monday, Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said, “We know that significant misinformation online contributes to threats against response workers on the ground, and the safety of responders must be a priority.”
With a report from the Associated Press.