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Three years ago, on a cold Saturday night in December, a brazen and calculated act of sabotage plunged the majority of Moore County, North Carolina, into darkness. Today, as the three-year anniversary of the substation shooting attack passes, the case remains an unsettling mystery, with the person or persons responsible still free and a combined reward of $100,000 hanging over the investigation.
The coordinated attack, which occurred on December 3, 2022, targeted two separate Duke Energy substations in Carthage and West End. The perpetrators used a high-powered rifle to systematically destroy equipment, knocking out power for nearly 45,000 customers. The immediate consequence was four to five days without heat, light, or essential services for businesses, homes, and schools, forcing the county to declare a state of emergency.
But the impact was far greater than a prolonged blackout. The outage had tragic consequences, as the death of 87-year-old Pinehurst resident Karin Zoanelli was later ruled a homicide. Ms. Zoanelli, who relied on an oxygen concentrator to breathe, died after the device failed due to the loss of electricity. Her death underscored the profound human cost of the intentional disruption of critical infrastructure.
From the beginning, law enforcement described the incident as an “intentional, willful and malicious” assault on the county’s power grid. Investigators quickly began exploring several possible motives. One theory centered on an attempt to disrupt a local drag show happening that same evening in Southern Pines, while another, broader line of inquiry focused on the pre-existing warnings from federal authorities about domestic extremists encouraging attacks on the nation’s utility infrastructure. Authorities have never confirmed a specific motive, leaving the community to wrestle with unsettling possibilities.
The joint task force, which includes the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, insists the case is far from closed. Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields recently reassured the public that the investigation remains “active and deliberate.” Though public updates have been scarce, the team is still focused on a few key clues. They recovered two dozen shell casings from the scenes, believed to be from a high-powered rifle, and they have issued public appeals for information regarding a specific vehicle.
Investigators released an image of a silver or light blue, 2011 to 2017 Honda Odyssey minivan seen entering and leaving the vicinity of the West End substation on the night of the shooting. The van, which was captured on surveillance video, is a crucial piece of the puzzle, and investigators believe the occupant or occupants may hold relevant information.
To encourage a break in the case, a substantial reward of up to $100,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, with contributions from the state of North Carolina, Duke Energy, Moore County, and the FBI. As the years pass without an arrest, the shadow of the unsolved attack highlights a painful vulnerability in our country’s critical services and serves as a somber reminder of a night Moore County will never forget.
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