Canadian shot bullets at substation in western North Dakota, was in US illegally, federal charges allege

BISMARCK — A Canadian is facing federal charges after authorities alleged he shot a gun at an electricity substation in western North Dakota.

Cameron Monte Smith, 48, appeared Wednesday, July 12, in U.S. District Court in Bismarck on one count each of destruction of an energy facility, “possession of a firearm by an illegal alien” and “possession of ammunition by an illegal alien.” His trial is scheduled for September.

The charge stems from a May 13 incident at the Wheelock substation in Ray, North Dakota. Employees said they found multiple rifle bullet holes in the substation operated by Mountrail-Williams Electric Co-op and Basin Electric Power Co-op, according to a criminal complaint.

The word “DAPL” and other symbols were spray-painted on rocks outside the power station, according to court documents.

No one was injured in the shooting.

DAPL is an acronym for the Dakota Access Pipeline, a nearly 1,200-mile pipeline that carries oil from western North Dakota to Illinois. Construction of the pipeline attracted protesters in 2016 over environmental concerns and impacts to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, particularly worries that water supplies would be polluted if the pipeline leaked.

Law enforcement and protesters clashed, resulting in injuries and arrests.

Ray is a city of roughly 740 people in the Bakken oilfield about 90 miles west of Minot.

The bullets found at the substation were identified in court documents as .450 Bushmaster cartridges, which are used in AR-15 and M16 rifles.

“Law enforcement also determined that approximately 15 bullets penetrated and damaged substation transformers and numerous electrical apparatuses,” the complaint said.

The bullets caused $100,000 in damage and resulted in 243 customers losing power, the complaint said.

Authorities also found a Honda Element stuck in a muddy agriculture field and abandoned about a half-mile southeast of the substation, court documents said. Police found a pill bottle, black rifle, and paperwork with Smith’s name on it, and investigators believe the vehicle was connected to the substation attack, a criminal complaint said.

A tow truck driver told police he picked up Smith near the vehicle, court documents said. Smith retrieved two duffel bags and a collapsible wheeled cart from the vehicle before the tow truck driver drove him to the Microtel Inn in Williston, court documents said.

Williston is about 35 miles southwest of Ray.

Officers arrested Smith at the hotel, where they found 166 live rounds of .450 Bushmaster ammunition, the complaint said.

Investigators also found a .450 Bushmaster rifle, 16 .450 Bushmaster rifle magazines, 135 live rounds of .450 Bushmaster ammunition, a 9 mm Sig Sauer pistol, four handgun magazines, and 104 9 mm bullets in duffel bags inside a dumpster at the hotel, the complaint said.

Smith told investigators he is a Canadian citizen, and databases showed no evidence he was in the U.S. legally, the complaint said.

He initially was charged with felony criminal mischief in Williams County District Court, but the charge was dropped Tuesday so federal prosecutors could pursue their case.

Smith remains in custody at the Williams County Correctional Center. His attorney, Kevin Chapman, did not respond to a request for comment.

April Baumgarten joined The Forum in February 2019 as an investigative reporter. She grew up on a ranch 10 miles southeast of Belfield, N.D., where her family raises Hereford cattle. She double majored in communications and history/political science at the University of Jamestown, N.D.