Armed Thomasville man arrested at High Point church, police seize arsenal
Armed worshipers at Wesley Memorial Methodist Church were evacuated safely after police say they found flamethrowers, a launcher and more than 500 rounds in a Thomasville man’s truck.
High Point police say a Sunday morning call about an armed man in a truck outside Wesley Memorial Methodist Church on Chestnut Drive led officers to a fast-moving weapons seizure that could have turned far worse during worship services. High Point 911 received the call at about 10:15 a.m., and officers responded within minutes, disarming and arresting William S. Milliken III, 44, of Thomasville, without incident.
Police said Milliken was wearing a plate carrier when officers took him into custody. Inside his truck, investigators found two flamethrowers, a CO2-powered launcher designed to resemble a handgun, crossbows, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, black duct tape, three knives and oxycodone pills. The inventory, along with the body armor, made the case far more serious than a routine weapons arrest and raised immediate concern about what might have happened if the situation had unfolded inside the church parking lot or after worshippers had started leaving.
Court documents add to that picture. Investigators allegedly found a notebook with addresses of churches, schools and public buildings, along with police scanners, GPD coordinates, handcuff keys, body armor and an enlarged map of North Carolina in the truck. FOX8 WGHP also reported that the court papers indicate Milliken may have mental health issues. High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson said the documents suggest that possibility and thanked police for their quick response, saying the people gathered to worship were able to return home safely.
The High Point Police Department said the arrest happened outside a church and that no one was hurt. The department’s June 29 media release listed the same core seizure, including the launcher resembling a handgun, the flamethrowers and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Milliken faces charges including possession of a weapon of mass destruction, impersonation of a law enforcement officer and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.
Under North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 14, Article 36B, possession, manufacture, transport and other acts involving a nuclear, biological or chemical weapon of mass destruction are prohibited, and the law also covers certain combinations of parts or substances intended to make such a weapon. The charge is unusually serious in a church case because Wesley Memorial Methodist Church is a United Methodist congregation with regular worship services and children’s ministry programming, the kind of place where a morning security scare can ripple quickly through Guilford County.
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