Fact Check: Did NC State Police warn about arresting federal employees for blocking Hurricane Helene aid?

The claim arose after Elon Musk stated on X that FEMA is hindering SpaceX engineers from delivering Starlink terminals and supplies to affected areas in NC
PUBLISHED OCT 5, 2024
Several social media posts alleged that 'NC State police' issued a warning about arresting federal employees for obstructing aid related to Hurricane Helene (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Several social media posts alleged that 'NC State police' issued a warning about arresting federal employees for obstructing aid related to Hurricane Helene (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

FLETCHER, NORTH CAROLINA: Several social media posts suggest that the "North Carolina State Police" has issued a warning about arresting federal employees attempting to obstruct Hurricane Helene aid.

The claim originated after tech billionaire Elon Musk mentioned in a post on X that FEMA is hindering SpaceX engineers from delivering Starlink terminals and supplies to the affected areas in North Carolina.

Is there any truth to this? Let's find out.



 

Claim: NC State Police warned about arresting federal employees for hindering Hurricane Helene aid

Many posts on the social media platform X have claimed that the North Carolina State Police issued warnings about arresting federal employees for obstructing Hurricane Helene's aid. However, these claims have not cited any official sources.

An X user @CPTOshaughnessy wrote, "Breaking. NC State police issue statement that they will start arresting any federal employees trying to stop or hinder rescue operations."



 

Another person wrote, "Let me know where the blockades are and we’ll have NC State Police move them out of the way. Already did it once, which is one reason why we have an escort now. FEMA has zero jurisdiction. Trust me. They’re not going to win this one."



 

Another X user stated, "NC State police just issued a warning to FEMA that they will arrest any agent of FEMA trying to prevent aid or rescues."



 

False: There is no 'North Carolina State Police' in existence

The claims circulating on social media that NC State Police warned about arresting federal employees for obstructing Hurricane Helene's aid are entirely false, as there is no such agency as "North Carolina State Police."



 

North Carolina only has the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and there is no official order from them, making the claim appear unsubstantiated.

There is no substantial evidence referencing 'NC State Police'

There is no evidence to support the existence of any "NC State Police" or that they issued a warning about arresting federal employees for obstructing Hurricane Helene's aid.

Furthermore, the posts on social media are baseless, lacking any official statement from relevant authorities.

An X user @CharlieSigs wrote, "Apparently his 'people on the ground' are unaware there is no such thing as NC State Police, but I’m sure they are otherwise very knowledgeable on the subject of local law enforcement. 90% of MAGA posts that cite 'people on the ground' as their source are completely fabricated to generate clicks. Just like Daddy Trump they only want attention."



 

North Carolina suffers most from Hurricane Helene

North Carolina experienced the most damage from Hurricane Helene, with over half of the total 215 deaths occurring in the state. Most fatalities were attributed to flash floods, which caused rapid water level rises that washed away entire communities.

(Getty Images)
President Joe Biden visited North Carolina and said that up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers will be assisting the National Guards in the rescue efforts (Getty Images)

Several individuals remain missing in the state as local police and the National Guard work to rescue those affected and deliver essential supplies. On Thursday, October 3, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper stated that Hurricane Helene caused "complete devastation" to the state's water infrastructure.

People wait on others to pump gasoline in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on September 29, 2024 in Fletcher, North Carolina. At least 90 people have been killed across the southeastern U.S. due to the hurricane, according to published reports, which made landfall as a category 4 storm on Thursday. Millions are without power, according to the reports. The White House declared major disasters in North Carolina and Florida, freeing up federal emergency management money for those areas. (Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
North Carolina suffered the most damage from Hurricane Helene as more than half of the total 215 deaths occurred in the state (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

President Joe Biden visited North Carolina on Thursday and said that up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers will be assisting the National Guards in the rescue efforts, per C-Span.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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