If this was actually multiple gunmen operating at multiple sites near-simultaneously, that makes it a lot less likely than it was just for yuks, and a lot more likely that it was a deliberate, planned attack. Information on the precise timing of the two attacks should be out there somewhere-- Were they close enough in time to rule out one idiot driving from one site to the other?
The 5 reported Pacific NW attacks in WA and OR were back in November, according to the Seattle Times (no gift links available)
I just realized some context for the Ohio incident: It came a couple of weeks after a very controversial solar farm received final approval. The plans had exercised a lot of people for over a year, so there was a local reason why someone might have been angry about electricity in the area.
This article from earlier this year about the brouhaha even mentions the substation that was shot at:
The company, based in Austin, Texas, proposes a solar-powered electric generation facility on 1,880 acres scattered throughout a 2,630-acre area in Hartford and Bennington townships, with about 1 million solar panels connected to American Electric Power’s Croton substation about a mile north of Hartford, on Clover Valley Road.
If the criminals are Trump supporters (and I know, we’re still using the word “alleged” here, for some stupid reason), those people were dumb enough to doxx themselves on January 6.
What makes you think it is more likely to be Trumpists, rather than jihadists or EarthFirst!?
Ecoterrorism (Earth First and the like) would be a new one. I’ve heard of them (maybe it was Earth Liberation Front, now that I think of it) spiking trees to hamper logging of old-growth forests, and even burning down new residential developments that were under construction. I haven’t yet heard of these groups taking actions to render existing human communities uninhabitable.
I thought Ohio was straight-wall only. Is necked-down (hunting) ammo legal anywhere in the state? It seem this would make the rifle in the incident even more rare. Hopefully that helps the investigation a little.
It is straight-wall only for deer hunting.
There are similar restrictions for turkey hunting. Most other game has no restrictions on hunting implements. Which means you’re not breaking any laws by using a semi-auto .50 BMG for rabbit hunting.
“Whadya mean, you missed the rabbit?”
“No, I said I mist the rabbit”.
Authorities are preparing to issue search warrants, so I think they know who did it.
I hope they catch them and prosecute the hell out of them.
These substations can’t be realistically protected adequately from a physical standpoint. The only protection is if people know they will spend decades in prison.
There was more power grid vandalism on Christmas.