On December 3, 2022, a shooting attack was carried out on two electrical distribution substations located in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. Damage from the attack left up to 40,000 residential and business customers without electrical power. Initial estimates were that up to four days could be required to fully restore power in the area. A state of emergency and corresponding curfew were enacted by local government officials in the wake of the incident.
Background
Less than two weeks prior to the Moore County substation incident, the FBI had sent a report to private industry in which they stated that there had been an increase in reported threats to electric infrastructure from people who espouse “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist ideology", with an aim of creating civil disorder and inspiring further violence. The Department of Homeland Security cited
While it is unclear whether such threats are directly associated with this attack, government officials have previously expressed concern over the possibility of violent extremists attacking the electrical grid. Prior to the Moore County attack, other attacks on the electrical grid had occurred in Metcalf, California in 2013, in Arkansas in 2013, in Utah in 2016, and in Washington and Oregon (dates undisclosed).
Attack
According to Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields, a Duke Energy power substation was severely damaged by gunfire in Carthage at around 7 p.m. Gunfire was later directed at a second substation in West End, ultimately resulting in a loss of electrical power to the majority of the county. A journalist from a local newspaper reported that one of the substations' gates had been damaged and was lying in an access road, with the pole holding the gate having been snapped off at the ground.
Outages began starting just after 7 p.m. on December 4 in Moore County and spread to central and southern parts of the county, with roughly 36,000 customers reported to be without power. Duke Energy officials indicated that significant, serious damage had occurred to equipment located at the substations and that repairs could take several days.
Investigation
In addition to the Moore County Sheriff's Department, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and police departments from all eleven municipalities in Moore County are participating in the investigation. The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) of the Department of Energy is also reported to be assisting.
Investigators revealed that they had recovered about two dozen shell-casings, described as being from a "high powered rifle", from the attack sites. These casings were expected to be used to query the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network for possible matches with casings fired from the same weapon at other crime scenes. The casings, some of the only physical evidence available, were also being looked at as a starting point which could lead to other evidence such as tire tracks or shoe prints.
On December 7, 2022, Governor Roy Cooper announced that a reward of up to $75,000 was being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. The money consists of three separate $25,000 rewards, offered by the State of North Carolina, Duke Energy, and Moore County.
Motive
Officials have described the attack as "targeted" and "intentional, willful and malicious" but did not immediately provide any information on suspects or a motive for the attack.
After the incident, numerous posts on the internet have speculated that the attack was an attempt to disrupt a local drag show that was taking place in the nearby town of Southern Pines that evening; however, these claims are unconfirmed and disputed.
By December 7, investigators were focusing on two possible motives for the attack. One scenario relates to known online writings by domestic extremists, which encourage attacks on critical infrastructure; the other relates to anti-LGBTQ+ activity. Investigators said they still have no evidence specifically tying the attack to the contemporaneous drag show, but the timing of the two incidents, as well as a general growth in tension around LGBTQ+ events, leads them to consider a possible connection.