Local

Officers carrying assault-style rifles at Charlotte airport after Florida shooting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some police officers at Charlotte’s airport are now openly carrying assault-style rifles.

Channel 9 learned the security change came within hours of the deadly shooting at Fort Lauderdale’s airport Friday.

“It’s kind of comforting to see that in what I consider to be an unsecured zone,” traveler Brian Stephens said.

Stephens flew to Charlotte from West Palm Beach, where he said he also saw officers with long rifles. The airport in West Palm Beach is less than an hour from Fort Lauderdale’s airport, where five people were gunned down near a baggage claim Friday. Authorities said the shooter was an Iraq war veteran, now facing the death penalty.

The shooting, and others at airports around the world, have not kept some people from traveling, but it’s on their mind.

“It’s getting more dangerous and that’s scary,” Julia Siever said.

The Fort Lauderdale airport shooting prompted security changes at airports across the nation. But Channel 9 has been asking about airport security at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport for years.

In 2015, Channel 9 reported all CMPD divisions were equipped with long-barreled, high-powered rifles -- except for officers at the airport.

“[The airport] should be as safe as possible,” traveler Joshua Mosquera said.

Channel 9 asked CMPD Deputy Chief Jeff Estes Monday if equipping some airport officers with long rifles is permanent. He said department leaders discuss potential threats and possible changes daily, but would not go into specifics for security reasons.

“I hope the sense of urgency is always there, but it was noticeable today,” Stephens said.

Not all CMPD officers working at the airport will carry the assault-style rifles in addition to their standard issue handguns; only the handful who have been through special training.