Local

Jewish center in Charlotte increases security after threats

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Foundation of Shalom Park is one of more than 200 Jewish centers that have recently received threats across the nation.

Leaders of the south Charlotte center said security changes are being made to ease community member concerns.

For more than 25 years, thousands of people have come to Shalom Park. On Tuesday night, dozens of concerned members of Charlotte's Jewish community called for more security after a wave of bomb threats locally and nationally.

"I think there is a lot of denial about the threat that exists," Ilan Avin, a parent of a child at Charlotte Jewish Day School, said.

Students have been evacuated from Charlotte Jewish Day School on the Shalom Park complex twice this year because of bomb threats.

Avin said there are legitimate concerns about dropping kids off at school.

"We, as parents, need to, I think, hear the people that are responsible for taking care of our children are dialed into that threat," he said.

FBI agents, Homeland Security and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers met Shalom Park members to answer questions.

Shalom Park is increasing security in response to the threats by adding secondary CMPD officers.

Staff is receiving training and talks are in place to hire a national security consultant.

Local elected leaders said the Jewish community center has their full support.

"We need to be supportive of each other. We're all in this together. We're all neighbors," Mecklenburg County Commissioner Pat Cotham said.

"Everybody has got to get off the floor and stop having tantrums and kicking their feet, and say, ‘Where do we go from here to help this country and the people in it?’" Councilmember Claire Fallon said.

The FBI said in the more than 200 threats and no explosives have been found.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: