32,000 in N.C. still in dark after gunfire
The FBI is working with state and local law enforcement officials to investigate Saturday’s attacks on two electrical substations in North Carolina, which left tens of thousands of people without power.
About 32,000 customers of Duke Energy in southeastern North Carolina remained without power or heat late Monday. The county declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew, and schools were closed Monday.
The FBI is investigating the “willful damage” to power facilities in Moore County, said Shelley Lynch, a spokesperson for the FBI field office in Charlotte. She declined to provide further details.
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said Sunday that law enforcement personnel were working to gather evidence and identify the perpetrators. Fields declined to say how many gunshots hit each substation or whether security cameras captured footage of the attacks, citing a need to protect the investigation.
Investigators are exploring whether the incident was connected to a drag show in the town of Southern Pines on Saturday evening, Fields said, but he stressed that so far nothing has indicated a link to the performance.
Organizers of the event said they had received threats of violence from far-right activists in the lead-up to Saturday’s show, the Fayetteville Observer reported Friday. The show’s supporters and opponents planned dueling protests outside the venue.
The power outages began shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, authorities said, plunging tens of thousands of residents into darkness and leaving some with limited access to water.
Although technicians are working around-the-clock, it could take until Thursday to restore power to the area, according to a statement from Duke Energy. The county declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew, while schools were closed Monday.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the targeting of the substations was a “serious, intentional crime” and that state and federal law enforcement personnel would conduct a thorough investigation.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called the outage a “serious incident” and said her department is working with federal partners as the investigation continues.
At Sunrise Theater on Saturday night, drag queen Naomi Dix was about to introduce an act when the lights went out. Dix said participants immediately suspected the power outage might be connected to those opposed to the performance. Dix spoke to The Post on the condition that she be identified only by her stage name out of fear for her safety.
Dix, 31, said she tried to keep the audience of about 300 people calm and upbeat. She asked them to turn on the flashlights on their cellphones, then led the crowd in singing “Halo” by Beyoncé.