Staff Reports
Police in High Point say they stopped a potentially dangerous scene outside a downtown church after a caller reported an armed man in a vehicle. Officers arrested a man without incident and found what they describe as two flamethrowers, more than 500 rounds of ammunition and other weapons in his truck. The suspect is now in custody at the Guilford County Jail and faces serious charges.
What police say happened
High Point officers responded after someone at Wesley Memorial Church reported a man in camouflage near the building. An off‑duty officer who was at the church helped, and backup arrived quickly. Police say they searched the truck and recovered a CO2 launcher made to look like a handgun, two flamethrowers, two crossbows, three knives, oxycodone pills, and over 500 rounds of ammunition. Authorities identified the man as William S. Milliken III and say prosecutors charged him with counts including possession of a weapon of mass destruction, impersonating an officer, and possession of a Schedule II drug.
Why this matters to the community
This is not a story about a harmless prop or a misunderstood camping trip. A man parked outside a church with homemade or replica weapons and a large cache of ammo is exactly the sort of thing that should make people nervous — and make police act fast. Credit here goes to the caller who reported the suspicious person and to the officers who handled the scene without violence. That quick action kept worshippers safe and avoided a headline far worse than this one.
Questions that still need answers
Police released a statement, but several facts deserve follow‑up. Were the flamethrowers commercially made or improvised? Was the CO2 launcher intended to impersonate a real firearm in a threatening way? Will prosecutors explain why the unusual “weapon of mass destruction” statute was used in this case? Journalists and residents should press for the charging document, an official inventory of seized items, and confirmation from the Guilford County jail about the suspect’s status. Transparency matters when serious charges are filed and people’s safety is invoked.
At bottom, this is a reminder that public vigilance and competent policing still work. We should applaud officers and neighbors who stepped up, demand that prosecutors pursue the case fully, and keep pressure on local leaders to ensure streets and places of worship remain safe. And while we wait for more documents and answers, let’s hope the next time someone parks outside a church with flamethrowers, it’s only because they’re filming a stunt for a movie — and not because our laws failed to stop a real threat.
