Officials increase security at Bank of America Stadium ahead of Panthers game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Interim City manager and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police declared the Panthers vs. Vikings game an extraordinary event, after days of protests against a deadly officer-involved shooting.

An extraordinary event allows for tighter security and bans certain items such as backpacks from being brought into the event.

Before the start of the 2016 season, the Panthers also announced security changes, such as adding metal detectors.

Security officials doubled the amount of walk-through scanners and surveillance. Fans also saw National Guard members and bomb sniffing dogs patrolling the Bank of America stadium.

Officers arrested one man, Bruce Garmon, when they found an unloaded pistol, as well as a fully-loaded magazine in his bag outside the stadium.

This week, CMPD Chief Kerr Putney said that he's confident the department has the resources to keep the city safe.

A small group of peaceful protesters met at Trade and Tryon streets and marched to the stadium, reporter Alexa Ashwell said. Two separate groups chanted outside of the stadium.

Panther’s fans said they aren’t too worried about game security.

“[I’m] a little nervous, but not too worried. I know they got a handle on things pretty well down here. There’s a lot of police and stuff uptown. You see the guys in uniform. I think it'll go pretty smoothly tomorrow,” one Panthers fan said.

Linebacker Thomas Davis told Channel 9, that football has a way of bringing people together during tough times. He hopes that will happen Sunday.

Cox Media Group