Neighbor recounts hearing around 20 gun shots the night of the North Carolina power grid attack

By Joe Fisher

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Moore County, North Carolina (WRAL) — For the first time we’re seeing pictures of the damaged equipment at the Carthage substation in Moore County, where bullet holes are clearly visible. Images were sent by photographer Jonathan Drake.

Investigators are hoping surveillance video from homes and businesses will help lead them to the person who fired shots into two substations.

Neighbors are also help piecing together how many gunshots it took to take down the substation.

One neighbor who lives near the West End substation on NC-211 says he heard 20 to 25 gunshots the night of the attack – gunshots believed to be at the second substation attack on Saturday night.

The cars cruising down that same highway were caught on camera from multiple businesses, like NAPA Auto Parts and Carolina Carriage.

Now, investigators confirm they are scrubbing through the video looking for suspicious activity.

“Me and my wife were just sitting on the couch just watching a movie and all of the sudden, about 8:45 p.m., about 20 shots fired off right across the street,” said Spencer Matthews.

He says the shots were fired in quick succession Saturday night. The area went black about 30 minutes later

Matthews called 911.

“It’s pretty nerve-racking. That’s when I got loaded myself just to protect my household, my wife and my dogs,” he said.

Duke Energy is still not answering WRAL’s questions about if cameras are on the property – only saying they have security measures in place. Power crews and deputies have remained at the substation for the last four days. On Wednesday, the FBI issued this alert – looking for the person or group of people responsible for the attacks that left 45,000 customers without power.

Just three days before the shootings, the Dept. of Homeland Security released this memo, writing, “The United States remains in a heightened threat environment.”

The memo listed several targets of potential violence, including U.S. Critical Infrastructure.

Duke Energy is not talking specifics, but a spokesperson does confirm the company has increased security at both substations since the attacks. They say security is an “evolutionary process” and they say this incident could lead to additional security measures being put in place.