Man arrested in Florida over alleged plot to attack New Orleans festival

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Federal authorities arrested a North Carolina man at a Florida hotel Wednesday night after identifying him as a suspect in an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a large New Orleans festival, according to Lex 18 News.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested the man without incident at a Destin, Florida hotel and recovered a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition from his room. The man, whose name was not disclosed, is wanted by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety for terroristic threats.

While the specific festival was not identified in law enforcement statements, the timing coincides with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, commonly known as JazzFest, which runs through May 3. The annual celebration of Louisiana's music, food and culture drew approximately 460,000 attendees last year.

The arrest resulted from coordination between federal authorities and law enforcement agencies spanning multiple states from North Carolina to Florida. Louisiana State Police Trooper Danny Berrincha said the agency is continuing to investigate the case with the FBI.

"At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana," Berrincha stated, according to the report.

New Orleans Mayor Halena Moreno praised the law enforcement response, saying, "Job well done!" in reference to the multi-state coordination that led to the arrest.

The man was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges. It was unclear whether he had retained legal representation at the time of his arrest.

The FBI's New Orleans office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the case.