Attack on North Carolina Electrical Stations Leaves 40,000 Without Power

A shooting attack on two North Carolina electrical substations has knocked out power to some 40,000 homes and businesses and prompted local officials to declare a curfew Sunday night.

Local and national news outlets reported that utility crews found that substations in Moore County, home to the Pinehurst golf complex in the central part of the state, had been shot repeatedly on Saturday night. Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said the stations were deliberately targeted but no one has claimed credit.

A motive for the shooting remained unclear, Fields said. The outages could last for several days, a Duke Energy official told the Associated Press, and the damage could run into the millions of dollars for the self-insured utility company.

The FBI has joined local and state law enforcement in investigating the crime. Patrols were protecting other substations in the area in case of other attacks, officials said.

With temperatures dropping Sunday night, Moore County opened a shelter in a sports complex. Schools in the area were closed Monday.