Man accused of threatening Duke Energy CEO at NC State commencement
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A man was arrested for communicating threats of mass violence on NC State property.
- Luke Archer Hoover was on probation at the time of his arrest, court records show.
- Hoover is being held without bail at Wake County Jail.
A Pinehurst man was arrested Monday night for allegedly making a violent threat against Duke Energy’s CEO during his planned address at N.C. State University’s commencement this spring.
Raleigh police arrested Luke Archer Hoover, 24, after university police said he’d threatened on social media to shoot a “victim at a public venue,” court records show. He faces a felony charge of communicating threats of mass violence on educational property, according to the court documents.
In court on Tuesday, prosecutors said Hoover made the threats against Duke Energy CEO Harry Sideris on X, WRAL and CBS17 reported. Sideris is slated to address N.C. State’s class of 2026 at the university’s May 9 commencement at Carter-Finley Stadium.
An N.C. State spokesperson said Hoover has no affiliation with the university. In a later email, the spokesperson added the university is prioritizing attendees’ safety at commencement but did not specifically acknowledge threats against Sideris.
“The safety of our graduates, their guests and our entire campus community is the highest priority at commencement,” the spokesperson wrote. “NC State has a robust security plan in place for the event.”
Hoover was on probation when the social-media incident occurred Thursday, court records show, after he was charged with three misdemeanor larceny charges in 2020 and pleaded guilty in the case.
As of Tuesday he was being held on $75,000 bail, according to court records. His next hearing is May 19.
This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 8:37 AM with the headline "Man accused of threatening Duke Energy CEO at NC State commencement."
