A man accused of making a threat that sparked a temporary shift in some western North Carolina disaster recovery operations said he believed social media reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was refusing to help people.

Law enforcement officials, already alerted to the potential threat, arrested Parsons at the scene. He was charged with “going armed to the terror of the public.” At the time of his arrest, Parsons was said to be armed with a handgun and a rifle.

William Jacob Parsons, 44, defended his alleged actions at a Federal Emergency Management Agency site in storm-battered Lake Lure, N.C.

A man who is accused of threatening aid workers at a FEMA distribution site appeared in court Wednesday morning.

Recovery efforts in western North Carolina are being disrupted by safety concerns following threats against federal responders, including Federal Emergency Management Agency workers. While local officials confirm that no threats originated in some counties,