Because this was a targeted attack with the intentional goal of disrupting a drag show [0].
There is a rising alt-right extremist movement that is attempting to demonize LGBTQ and drag as pedophiles and groomers.
Their methods are only getting more extreme [1].
They have very clear goals that are absolutely fall under the definition of terrorisms: They are attempting to terrorize a specific subset of civilian population into going back into the closet, under the threat of violence.
They are organized, and they are motivated. That's why it's important to call it terrorism - because there are networks of extremists that continue on their mission even if the specific individuals can be identified that commit individual crimes. There is a movement behind them to continue on the mission.
The sheriff of Moore County was asked about this in the press conference, and confirmed they spoke with the individual your link attributes as someone with knowledge of who is responsible, but says she made it up (i.e. "it turned out to be nothing").
In a right wing domestic terrorism investigation in America in 2022, I would absolutely not trust any local small-town police department to investigate those ties effectively, no.
That is not an outlandish perspective, over and over, there are instances of the police not lifting a finger to protect trans or drag events while groups like Patriot Front or Proud Boys harass and intimidate them with shows of force/violence.
I’m pro drag show and anti extremism but this just seems so unlikely, doesn’t it? Didn’t they knock out the power for lots of churches and gun shops too? And according to news reports I’m seeing, they had the drag show anyway? I mean, people are crazy and do random things, so I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it just seems like it would be the dumbest way to try to make this dumb point.
I wouldn't try to rationalize the actions of these people too much.
Proud Boys confronted/harrassed/intimidated people at a drag show in a city not far east from there just recently and then some people (probably some the same people) put some effort into preventing this drag show from happening prior to this situation.
Sure it's possible that's why, but that twitter thread is not conclusive. Some people loudly blame gays for hurricanes. That doesn't mean they have the agency to cause hurricanes.
There is a rising alt-right extremist movement that is attempting to demonize LGBTQ and drag as pedophiles and groomers.
Their methods are only getting more extreme [1].
They have very clear goals that are absolutely fall under the definition of terrorisms: They are attempting to terrorize a specific subset of civilian population into going back into the closet, under the threat of violence.
They are organized, and they are motivated. That's why it's important to call it terrorism - because there are networks of extremists that continue on their mission even if the specific individuals can be identified that commit individual crimes. There is a movement behind them to continue on the mission.
[0] https://twitter.com/Esqueer_/status/1599464591196491777?cxt=...
[1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/epzv9a/libsoftiktok-trans-ch...