Man arrested for bringing flamethrowers, weapons to NC church, had list of churches and schools, was wearing body armor

A North Carolina man has been arrested after police found him outside a church on Sunday wearing body armor and in possession of multiple weapons, flamethrowers, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a notebook listing churches and schools.

William S. Milliken III, 44, of Thomasville, was taken into custody Sunday after High Point police responded to Wesley Memorial Methodist Church during its morning worship service following a 911 call reporting an armed man sitting in a truck in the church parking lot. According to police, the caller reported the suspect was wearing camouflage clothing and appeared to be armed. An off-duty High Point police officer working security at the church immediately confronted Milliken before additional officers arrived and safely disarmed him without incident.

Authorities said Milliken was wearing a plate carrier, a type of body armor, when he was arrested. A subsequent search of his truck uncovered what police described as an alarming cache of weapons and equipment, including a CO2-powered launcher designed to resemble a handgun, two flamethrowers, two crossbows, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, multiple knives, rolls of black duct tape, and oxycodone pills. High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson said that court documents also indicate that investigators found a notebook containing addresses of churches and schools, along with police scanners and additional tactical equipment inside the vehicle.

Milliken has been charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, impersonating a law enforcement officer, and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. Additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues. Jefferson praised both the citizens who alerted authorities and the officers who responded before anyone inside the church was harmed. "Most importantly, no one was hurt," Jefferson said in a statement to FOX8. "Hundreds of people who had gathered to worship were able to return home safely to their families."

The mayor said community members recognized that "something wasn't right" and contacted 911, allowing police to intervene before the situation escalated. Court documents cited by Jefferson also state that Milliken is believed to have mental health issues, though authorities have not announced a motive or said why the suspect allegedly possessed a list of churches and schools. The incident remains under investigation.