Behind-the-scenes look at how the FBI uses cell phone data to track suspects in power grid attack

PERFORM COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTS

THAT PROMOTE GUN SAFETY AROUND

MINORS.

>> THE FBI IS USING CELL PHONE

DATA TO FIND THE PERSON OR

PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE

ATTACK ON THE MOORE COUNTY

POWER GRID. TONIGHT, AN EXPERT

EXPLAINS HOW THE TECHNOLOGY

WORKS. AND WRAL'S BRETT KNESE

SHOWS US HOW THE DATA WILL BE

USED IN THE INVESTIGATION.

>> LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE NOT

FILED ANY CHARGES OR NAMED A

SUSPECT YET. BUT THAT EXPERT

I TALKED TO SAYS THAT THIS CELL

PHONE DATA COULD HELP NARROW

THEIR SEARCH.

ARMED WITH LONG RIFLES.

SECURITY REMAINS HEIGHTENED AT

THE MOORE COUNTY SUBSTATION.

6 DAYS AFTER IT WAS SHOT UP.

THE SEARCH FOR WHOEVER IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACK IS

WELL UNDERWAY. THE FBI IS

REQUESTING CELL PHONE DATA THAT

ANYONE IN THE AREA WHEN IT

HAPPENED LITERALLY EVERYBODY.

>> WHO MADE A PHONE CALL

RECEIVED A PHONE CALL USED

DATA.

AROUND THE TIME OF THIS

INCIDENT.

THEIR PHONE RECORDS WOULD

INDICATE THAT THEY WERE HOPED

UP TO THIS CELL TOWER NEAR THE

STUB STATION. THEN LEAD TO 10

IS A CELL PHONE EXPERT WHO HAS

TESTIFIED IN CASES WHEN THIS

KIND OF DATA IS USE. HE SAYS

THIS FBI REQUEST COULD MEAN

INVESTIGATORS WILL NEED TO COMB

THROUGH HUNDREDS IF NOT

THOUSANDS OF PHONE NUMBERS.

>> TELLS US A LOT NUMBER CAN

GIVE YOU A POOL OF SUSPECTS

RIGHT? MORE IMPORTANTLY.

AND THIS IS PROBABLY MORE

IMPORTANT TO GET IT. THEY CAN

GIVE YOU A POOL OF THE

WITNESSES. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS.

LET IT AND SAYS EVERY CELL

TOWER COVERS ABOUT A 2 MILE

RADIUS WHICH EQUALS ABOUT 12

SQUARE MILES. ONE SQUARE MILES,

THE SAME AS 484 NFL FOOTBALL

FIELDS.

>> SO THIS IS LIKE THE SAME

AREAS. 4500 NFL FOOTBALL

FIELDS. BUT LET IT AND SAYS IT

WON'T BE ABLE TO PINPOINT AN

EXACT LOCATION WITHIN THAT

AREA. EVEN STILL IT CAN PLAY

SOMEONE WITHIN THAT 12 SQUARE

MILE AREA.

>> AT A CERTAIN TIME, LIKE WHEN

THE SHOOTING HAPPENED,

INVESTIGATORS HAVE USED THIS

TYPE OF DATA TO IDENTIFY

SUSPECTS IN OTHER RECENT

HIGH-PROFILE CASES LIKE HE ANDY

BIGGS CASE. AND CELL PHONE DATA

HELPED IDENTIFY SUSPECTS IN

THE MURDER OF WAKE COUNTY

DEPUTY NED BYRD. SO LET THE 10

SAYS INVESTIGATORS WILL USE

THIS DATA TO NARROW THE LIST

DOWN TO A FEW PEOPLE AND

HOPEFULLY IDENTIFY A SUSPECT IN

THIS ATTACK. IS THIS IS A LOT

OF JUST GOOD OL POLICE FOR IT.

>> THE FBI IS ALSO ANALYZING

SHELL CASINGS RECOVERED HERE AT

THE MOORE COUNTY SUBSTATION

ALONG WITH SHELL CASINGS

RECOVERED AT A SECOND SHOOTING,

A DUKE ENERGY HYDRO FACILITY IN

SOUTH CAROLINA. BUT

INVESTIGATORS HAVE YET TO SAY

WHETHER OR NOT THE 2 SHOOTINGS

ARE CONNECTED IN MOORE COUNTY.