Changes coming to security at North Carolina campaign rallies: 'Heighten level of preparedness'

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- State law enforcement agencies are on high alert following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. With North Carolina being a swing state, heightened security measures will be in place for future political visits.

Those security measures are not a concern for Richard Barber.

"It's terrible, but I don't think it will deter anyone from going to rallies," Barber said. "Seems like it's a tragedy to bring everybody together, sad to say."

Kelvin Allen is a President Biden supporter. He is worried that undecided voters will now have more empathy for President Trump at the ballot box. He plans to continue attending campaign rallies.

"We can't be afraid right now," said Kelvin Allen, a Durham native. " I certainly hope they didn't hand him the election. When something like that happens there's a lot of empathy."

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With four months left until the election, state law enforcement agencies are now on high alert. Apex Police Chief Jason Armstrong spoke virtually with ABC11 from the North Carolina Police Executive's Association conference in Wilmington.

"It's going to heighten our level of preparedness," Armstrong said.

According to Armstrong, there are more than 100 law enforcement leaders attending from the local, state and federal level including the SBI director. He said there is a difference in security measures for indoor and outdoor rallies.

"What makes it even more challenging is when you have an outdoor footprint because as we saw in Pennsylvania, that outdoor footprint, this individual was able to get a position outside the event space," he said.

As the presidential election heats up, Armstrong believes there are lessons learned around safety. Candidates are likely to return to North Carolina and partner with local law enforcement agencies to plan and beef up security measures.

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Triangle hospitals stand ready to respond, too.

Duke University Hospital released the following statement:

All Duke University Health System hospitals have emergency plans that are deployed during significant events. The plans adhere to the standardized Hospital Incident Command System, which provides flexible event coordination through established roles and responsibilities. The health system has previously and will continue to partner with governmental agencies when presidential candidates visit North Carolina.

WakeMed released the following statement:

WakeMed has threat response plans in place-mass casualty incidents included-and conducts regular trainings on emergency preparedness, surge capacity, armed intruders, and mass casualty as well as situational awareness, among others. A robust communication system is also in place, which ties in all hospitals and EMS services for a coordinated response. As a Level I Trauma Center (the highest designation available), WakeMed is committed to providing life-saving treatment when time matters the most.

UNC Health released the following statement:

Across UNC Health, our hospitals plan for a wide range of emergencies, including scenarios related to active shooters or mass casualties. When there are large events nearby, including political rallies, we work closely with law enforcement, EMS and other local hospitals to ensure that we are prepared for all types of emergencies.

Our hospitals regularly conduct drills and training with our clinical teams, as well as with first responders and law enforcement.