NC - State of Emergency Declared in Moore County - Criminal Attack on Power Substations - 45K W/O Power

[Hoosgirl]

Authorities have announced a mandatory curfew in a North Carolina county where around 40,000 customers lost power after two power substations were damaged by gunfire Saturday night.

At a news conference Sunday, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said the county will implement a mandatory curfew from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., starting Sunday night.

(snip)

The power outage in Moore County is being investigated as a "criminal occurrence" after crews found signs of potential vandalism at several locations, CNN previously reported.

A gate at one of the locations also appears to have been taken off its hinges, Mike Cameron of the Southern Pines Fire and Rescue Department told CNN on Sunday afternoon.

Cameron said the area is experiencing increased emergency calls due to the lack of power, adding that auto accidents have occurred because traffic lights are out. People who rely on oxygen have placed emergency calls, he said.

Initially, local officials estimated power would be restored Sunday evening, but Cameron said after assessing the damage, they've determined it could take at least until Monday.

NC county announces curfew as nearly 40,000 customers remain without power after 2 substations damaged by gunfire | CNN

Authorities have announced a mandatory curfew in a North Carolina county where around 40,000 customers lost power after two power substations were damaged by gunfire Saturday night.

www.google.com

A woman who vehemently and repeatedly protested a drag show scheduled in Southern Pines claims that deputies questioned her in regard to the mass power outages in the county, after she posted on social media that she knows why the outage happened.
Emily Grace Rainey, a former U.S. Army psychological operations officer, made several posts about it on social media, even saying in one post: “The power is out in Moore County and I know why."

Moore County authorities investigate social posts claiming knowledge of Moore County blackout

A woman who vehemently and repeatedly protested a drag show scheduled in Southern Pines claims that deputies questioned her in regard to the mass power outages in the county, after she posted on social media that she knows why the outage happened.

www.google.com

Local paper is also staying on top of it; their reporters are working by phone.

Emergency Declared and Curfew Ordered Following Moore Power Grid Attack

Much of Moore County — more than 40,000 homes and businesses — remain without power following an attack to electrical substations. Authorities have confirmed that at least two substations were

www.thepilot.com

 

[YaYa_521]

MSN

SBM

• power grid was ‘intentionally attacked’
• 45,000 people in Moore County are still without power
• firearms were used to shoot and disable equipment
• Power could be out until Thursday
• FBI is assisting with the investigation, as well as the SBI.

# More at link

 

[meanmaryjean]

Let's call it what it is: Domestic terrorism

 

[YaYa_521]

Community Comes Together Amid Power Outage

While 40,000 people in Moore County remain without power, residents are going well outside of their usual weekend routines to secure basic necessities, and in some cases heading out of

www.thepilot.com

Harris Teeter Distributing Free Ice to Moore County Households

Harris Teeter will distribute free bags of ice to community members affected by a power outage in Moore County. The free distribution will begin at various times on Sunday, Dec.

www.thepilot.com

 

[YaYa_521]

State of emergency declared for NC county after gunfire damages substations, cuts power

SBBM
Officials briefly addressed possible allegations of motive in the incident when asked by reporters, but quickly said they were looking into "every avenue" and that they couldn't say what the exact motive was just yet. Officials did confirm they believed the incident was intentional and not a random act, adding that a person or persons pulled up to two substations and opened fire on them Saturday. Authorities were also asked during the conference whether they could deem the act as "domestic terrorism," to which they said they could not answer whether or not it was at this time in the investigation.

 

[airportwoman]

Let's call it what it is: Domestic terrorism

I came here to say the same thing, and actually to start a thread but I see someone beat me to it.

I also looked at a map of the area and saw that Moore County is right next to Fort Bragg, which I've long heard is one of the scariest areas in the U.S.

Hope this gets resolved quickly, and that includes the arrest of the perpetrator(s).

 

[citizen_sleuth]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1599527753732489222

 

[citizen_sleuth]

https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/article269579392.html

<snipped & BBM>
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields, who at a Sunday afternoon press conference called the perpetrators “cowards,” announced a Sunday curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew is part of a countywide state of emergency proclamation, effective 4 p.m. Sunday.

[…]

Mike Cameron, Southern Pines’ assistant town manager and fire chief, said the power outage caused several accidents, including a four-vehicle wreck at the intersection of Morganton Road and U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines that sent four people to the hospital with minor injuries.

[…]

Fields said Sunday that state and federal investigators are looking into protesters of a Saturday drag queen show at Sunrise Theater in downtown Southern Pines, but that so far they have not been able to make that connection.

[…]

On her Facebook page, Emily Grace Rainey, an outspoken opponent of the drag show, posted an invitation to the protest at the theater. After the lights went out out, Rainey, who became known in Moore County during the pandemic for her opposition to mask mandates, posted on Facebook that, “The power is out in Moore County and I know why.”

[…]

Without naming her, Fields indicated in Sunday’s press conference that the information Rainey posted online was “false.” He said officers “had to go and interview this young lady and have a word of prayer with her, but it turned out to be nothing.”

[…]

Adrienne Wood and Phoenix Rashash, two friends who were at the drag show, attended the sheriff’s news conference. They said law enforcement needs to take a hard look at the timing of the outage, which happened just as the show was getting underway.

 

[Hoosgirl]

Video of today's press conference

https://www.facebook.com/100064327470080/posts/544035804417331

 

[realanastasia]

https://amp.newsobserver.com/news/local/article269579392.html

<snipped & BBM>
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields, who at a Sunday afternoon press conference called the perpetrators “cowards,” announced a Sunday curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew is part of a countywide state of emergency proclamation, effective 4 p.m. Sunday.

[…]

Mike Cameron, Southern Pines’ assistant town manager and fire chief, said the power outage caused several accidents, including a four-vehicle wreck at the intersection of Morganton Road and U.S. 15-501 in Southern Pines that sent four people to the hospital with minor injuries.

[…]

Fields said Sunday that state and federal investigators are looking into protesters of a Saturday drag queen show at Sunrise Theater in downtown Southern Pines, but that so far they have not been able to make that connection.

[…]

On her Facebook page, Emily Grace Rainey, an outspoken opponent of the drag show, posted an invitation to the protest at the theater. After the lights went out out, Rainey, who became known in Moore County during the pandemic for her opposition to mask mandates, posted on Facebook that, “The power is out in Moore County and I know why.”

[…]

Without naming her, Fields indicated in Sunday’s press conference that the information Rainey posted online was “false.” He said officers “had to go and interview this young lady and have a word of prayer with her, but it turned out to be nothing.”

[…]

Adrienne Wood and Phoenix Rashash, two friends who were at the drag show, attended the sheriff’s news conference. They said law enforcement needs to take a hard look at the timing of the outage, which happened just as the show was getting underway.

IMO the law enforcement officers “hav[ing] a word of prayer” with the suspected criminal/domestic terrorist suggests to me that the local PD may be quite sympathetic to said suspect, and I will be genuinely surprised if they ever charge that person with any crime.

 

[Tower]

IMO the law enforcement officers “hav[ing] a word of prayer” with the suspected criminal/domestic terrorist suggests to me that the local PD may be quite sympathetic to said suspect, and I will be genuinely surprised if they ever charge that person with any crime.

I am a praying person and have strong personal beliefs, yet I find it inappropriate at best that law enforcement would publicly state this. Investigating and finding someone was not involved is quite different from what they expressed here. Their job is certainly to objectively investigate domestic terrorism? Imo

 

[citizen_sleuth]

IMO the law enforcement officers “hav[ing] a word of prayer” with the suspected criminal/domestic terrorist suggests to me that the local PD may be quite sympathetic to said suspect, and I will be genuinely surprised if they ever charge that person with any crime.

I agree, that comment (and behavior) seems wildly inappropriate for LE to do with a potential suspected domestic terrorist. Although if it is domestic terrorism, the federal authorities will be the ones to investigate and prosecute the case.

 

[Hoosgirl]

MSN

SBM

• power grid was ‘intentionally attacked’
• 45,000 people in Moore County are still without power
• firearms were used to shoot and disable equipment
• Power could be out until Thursday
• FBI is assisting with the investigation, as well as the SBI.

# More at link

From your link:

"When asked whether this was domestic terrorism, Sheriff Fields said he couldn’t say whether this was domestic terrorism or not, saying he would leave that for the feds to determine. But he added it was absolutely intentional and the perpetrators knew what they were doing.

Fields also said he couldn’t speak to what the motivation is because no group has claimed responsibility for it yet."

Glad the FBI and SBI are involved. The local sheriff seeming to want to wait on a group to "claim responsibility" seems a bit, er, less than proactive. I'm doubting the perpetrator(s) are just going to step forward.

 

[SuziQ]

I came here to say the same thing, and actually to start a thread but I see someone beat me to it.

I also looked at a map of the area and saw that Moore County is right next to Fort Bragg, which I've long heard is one of the scariest areas in the U.S.

Hope this gets resolved quickly, and that includes the arrest of the perpetrator(s).

I wonder if FT. Bragg was the motive. Not sure if they have their own power plant. You could probably access a lot of areas with the power out. Imo.

 

[lynchmob67]

I am a praying person and have strong personal beliefs, yet I find it inappropriate at best that law enforcement would publicly state this. Investigating and finding someone was not involved is quite different from what they expressed here. Their job is certainly to objectively investigate domestic terrorism? Imo

Southern born and bred and I’m very familiar with the term. If my mom thought I up was up to no good she’d use that phrase as a warning. If I find out you did that, me and you are gonna have a word of prayer. She didn’t pray with me, rather I was praying for my life

 

[steeltowngirl]

The targeted attack was likely aimed much bigger than the drag show. If someone wanted to take the power out at a theater, they would go after the theater transformer or service drop. No need to take out 45,000 customers.

Agree with poster above. This is domestic terrorism, and has been a predicted national concern for quite some time. There was a recent segment on 60 Minutes about the danger to the national electrical grid.

Here is an article about it.

Vulnerable U.S. electric grid facing threats from Russia and domestic terrorists

Bill Whitaker reports that a coordinated attack on a relatively small number of critical substations could plunge the U.S. into darkness.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[cvaldez1975]

IMO the law enforcement officers “hav[ing] a word of prayer” with the suspected criminal/domestic terrorist suggests to me that the local PD may be quite sympathetic to said suspect, and I will be genuinely surprised if they ever charge that person with any crime.

Thank you….. unprofessional af

 

[MimosaMornings]

Southern born and bred and I’m very familiar with the term. If my mom thought I up was up to no good she’d use that phrase as a warning. If I find out you did that, me and you are gonna have a word of prayer. She didn’t pray with me, rather I was praying for my life

True. “You and I are going to have a word of prayer if you make your brother cry again” was definitely a warning.
JMO

 

[YaYa_521]

Moore County continues under state of emergency

Thousands of people left without power after two Duke Energy stations were intentionally targeted with gunfire.

www.wect.com

Dec. 5, 2022 at 7:14 AM CST
SBM

• 34,000 people are still without power since around 7 p.m. on Saturday, mainly the residents of Moore County. About 11,000 have received power back.
• County wide curfews have been issued from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. across Moore County and schools are closed today, and may be tomorrow as well.

 

[Hoosgirl]

It was pretty chilly last night, slightly below freezing (I'm local but fortunately not affected). Thinking of all those folks heading into another day with no heat.