According to reporting from Fox News, the unusual shooting on May 3rd occurred near Ft. Liberty and is now under investigation by the Army Criminal Investigation Division in addition to the local police force. The shooting took place shortly after police received a call to 911 regarding a suspected trespasser near the home.
The bizarre incident began when two Chechen men speaking limited English were found in a wooded area near the secluded home in proximity to a power line. When confronted by another member of the household for taking photographs near the home, 35-year-old Ramzan Daraev reportedly became aggressive.
The Moore County Sheriff's Department explained, "On the evening of May 3, 2024, at approximately 8:15 PM, Moore County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a report of trespassing at a residence along Dowd Road in Carthage, North Carolina. The caller indicated that an individual was observed taking photographs on the property and had become aggressive towards another resident outside their home.
"Upon arrival, deputies discovered the body of 35-year-old Ramzan Daraev from Chicago, Illinois, who appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds. Daraev was found approximately 250 yards from the roadway, along a powerline on the residential property. Identification was not found on Daraev; however, his identity was later confirmed through family members and an international identification located in his vehicle."
Daraev was reported to have been working as a subcontractor for Utilities One, a company based in New Jersey, at the time of his death. Investigators are still working to verify his official employment status. At the time of the incident, Daraev was not in possession of any utility equipment, utility clothing, or identification.
Reporter Jennifer Van Laar of Redstate pointed to several unusual circumstances surrounding the shooting such as the lack of identification on Daraev at the time of his death and the fact that he possessed no utility equipment, or utility clothing at the time he was allegedly working for a utility.
According to a source in the community referenced by RedState, the Special Forces member was identified by rank as a Colonel. They told the outlet that "apparently the Colonel had his own cameras up and this was the 3rd or 4th visit" from Daraev and the second Chechen identified as Dzhankutov Adsalan.
The source added that there have been "a lot of suspect things in the area, family members [of special forces soldiers] followed, et cetera.
Speaking with Fox News, the FBI said, "Our law enforcement partners at the Moore County Sheriff's Office contacted the FBI after a shooting death in Carthage. A special agent met with investigators and provided a linguist to assist with a language barrier for interviews."
The outlet reports that Adsalan, who was in a vehicle a short distance from the incident was detained by police for questioning and released. A source speaking to Fox on condition of anonymity informed them "power company employment is often a cover for status/action," stressing that U.S. intelligence services use this tactic for surveillance of foreign targets.
The FBI has confirmed that the Monroe County Sheriff's Office is the lead agency in the ongoing investigation.
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