(JustPatriots.com)- North Carolina has experienced a massive blackout in an act of sabotage, according to The Post Millennial. The power outrage in Moore County reportedly affected over 40,000 people in the state and is currently being investigated as “intentional vandalism” and a “criminal occurrence,” according to the county’s sheriff’s office.
The incident reportedly occurred on December 3 at 7 p.m. on Saturday evening. As utility companies responded to the outages, they discovered that it was the cause of vandalism at multiple sites. CNN reports that the neighboring Hoke County was also affected.
Governor Roy Cooper tweeted that he spoke with Duke Energy and law enforcement and they are investigating the matter to be able to restore electricity to residents. He added that the state is providing resources as needed.
Jeff Brooks, a spokesman for Duke Energy, told CNN that the utility company crews were experiencing “multiple equipment failures” that led to the outages.
Popular conservative commentator Jack Posobiec tweeted, “My uncle’s house is down here and has no power.”
CNN reports that two power substations were damaged by gunfire. Municipality and county officials implemented a curfew for its residents to ensure their safety.
“So we’ve come to an agreement to best protect our citizens and to protect the businesses of our county, we’re going to implement a curfew tonight,” Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said at a press conference. Fields added that the shots appeared to be targeted and not random, adding that they have “no clue” why the shooters would choose Moore County.
The United States energy grid has experienced vulnerabilities since last year when a ransomware attack stopped the flow of nearly half of the East Coast’s supply of gas, according to American Pigeon. The act reportedly demonstrated that cybercriminals could bring the United States’ infrastructure to its knees.