NC National Guard arrives in Charlotte after violent protests

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina National Guard was called in early Thursday morning to keep the streets of Charlotte as safe as possible.

Just before noon, Channel 9 saw another convoy arrive at the National Guard Armory in west Charlotte.

It was the fourth group to have arrived since 4 a.m., and Gov. McCrory said they would continue arriving in waves as soldiers come from across the state.

For the most part, the convoys have had buses packed full of National Guard members. They have also included Humvees, large transport vehicles and equipment.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said the National Guard will be there to focus on protecting infrastructure and assets in the city, which will allow CMPD to dedicate its resources to de-escalating any protests.

The National Guard will not take over the security, instead they will work under the direction of CMPD.

“As I said before, the National Guard and Highway Patrol will help us with infrastructure,” Putney said. “They’ll help provide protection for our buildings so that we can avoid further damage.”

For the most part, Channel 9 has just seen National Guard members gathering at the armory, not leaving or deploying. The one group Eyewitness News did see returned shortly after leaving.

Cox Media Group