Law enforcement agencies train for major investigations

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Multiple law enforcement agencies trained for a mass casualty event at a vacant school Wednesday in north Charlotte.

Channel 9 went behind the scenes to see the work they do to prepare for a tragic incident.

The training exercise wasn't about catching a shooter, but about collecting important evidence for the investigation.

Law enforcement agencies set up a simulated crime scene. Investigators treated it as an office building.

Inside, they found 30 inflatable dolls, presumed to be dead bodies. There were hundreds of shell casings scattered throughout the building.

Investigators walked Channel 9 through a holding room for witnesses who were waiting to be interviewed.

There was another area set up a mobile command for all of the collected evidence. That unit was something investigators set up during the Boston Bombings.

In each room, FBI agents were paired with a CMPD officer and a member of the Terrorist Task Force.

Special Agent John Wydra said their work behind the scenes is critical for a large scale-investigation.

"We are taking lessons learned from San Bernardino, from the Pulse nightclub, Charleston, from the various shootings across the world," Wydra said.

In the Orlando and San Bernardino shootings, investigators slowly learned more about the shooters with potential ties to terrorism.

Wydra said the FBI has the power to use that information and position agents around the world.

"We are trying to tie these things together to see if it is a growing problem today or tomorrow or is something else we need to look into," Wydra said. "What is critical for the American people is transparency, is for them to understand and know what happened, how these people died and what we are doing to prevent it in the future."

CMPD Deputy Chief Doug Gallant said CMPD would be the lead agency in a major investigation and that they need to learn from previous events.

"We have to be prepared for that and this gives us that opportunity," Gallant said.

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