It seems they took advantage of the situation because they were ready to, knowing it would happen in some way, somewhere. If half of what we think they have been doing to people is true, then they are in many, many towns all over the country, and will jump on things where and when they blow up. People won't always trigger exactly when, how, or where you want them to, so they probably have lots of current operations around the country, at different stages of readiness. I can get behind the phone influence thing, but employing those techniques, technology and methods reliably, on demand, is much harder than it seems when just reading about it, I hope (techfag).
I don't think they wanted the spotlight anywhere near this coward sheriff. He may well be involved in many things they would like to keep going. It looks like he could have DWS problems, Awan problems, weapons smuggling (theory, no sauce yet) maybe even ties to that floating lawyer. This was not on purpose, but they are employing their usual sinister tactics to use the situation. This Hogg idiot did not plan to be the face of this farce. Too stupid to be in on anything, he has no clue and is just milkin it. I agree the 4 cowards hiding behind cars is weird, and Hoggs parents do raise an eyebrow, but this seems more like the old Rahm Emanual quote 'never let a tragedy go to waste' than anything else. Maybe I am just having trouble believing how bad things really are, but I think we need to be careful pushing this as a setup shooting. If it was, the good part I see is that we will burn down this whole operation and these kids will not have died in vain. Q, Potus and anons have turned this around on them. Instead of their usual financial, legal and social benefit, this time they will hang.