CHARLOTTE — After the major terror attack in New Orleans, a lot of people attending the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte Friday night have security on their minds.
Tens of thousands of fans are expected to visit the Queen City and they won’t be alone. Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will be out in full force – making sure things go smoothly.
— CMPD News (@CMPD) January 2, 2025
“The attack in New Orleans has impacted the men and women of our department as it has members of the Charlotte community,” CMPD posted on X. “As our city prepares for Friday’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium, additional security measures are being taken.”
CMPD added, “We ask everyone attending to trust their instincts and report any potential suspicious activity. We are committed to the safety of everyone attending Friday’s game.”
Fans are eager for the game as they keep their security in mind.
“Charlotte is a great place, there is a lot to discover. I might go to the NASCAR later on to see what that is all about,” Chantell Lovett, who has a son playing for Virginia Tech, told Channel 9′s Eli Brand.
Lovett said the opportunity to play in the postseason is a huge reward for the team after working so hard during the season.
On top of that reward though, Lovett said safety is now also on her mind.
“I try to only control the controllables, so there are only certain things that I can control, so we just got to keep on trucking and I don’t have any security concerns honestly at this point,” Lovett said.
The terror attack in New Orleans killed over a dozen people early New Year’s Day and delayed the Sugar Bowl there.
The Duke’s Mayo Bowl will go on as scheduled, but safety precautions are in place.
Thursday morning, several officers were surrounding Bank of America Stadium building barriers and prepping for the tens of thousands expected to attend.
“We just got here today so it’s nice. Nice weather. Excited about the opportunity,” Safronia Dodd, who has a son playing for Minnesota, told Channel 9.
Dodd has a similar mindset as Lovett – taking advantage of the opportunity to play and not focusing on things she can’t control.
“You know, I thought about it a little bit on my way here but I think we will be ok. I’m hoping we will be ok,” Dodd said.
The game is set to kick off at 7:30 Friday.
(WATCH: Anticipation builds in Charlotte for Duke’s Mayo Bowl)
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