SALISBURY, N.C. — The Rowan-Salisbury Schools district implemented several security measures Tuesday night.
The meeting was held to discuss a shooting last week at Catawba College.
“The culture has to change. It has to change,” board member Brian Hightower said.
Last Wednesday, police said a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old were hurt in the shooting during a basketball tournament at Catawba College. Officers arrested two teens in connection with the shooting. The shooting victims are expected to recover.
School board members spoke about issues mostly in closed session for about two hours Tuesday.
They voted that starting Jan. 10, fans entering RSS athletic facilities will go through a checkpoint and be screened with a wand.
Officials said the new protocol is an effort to ensure “a safer environment for all fans, guests, coaches and student-athletes.”
People cannot bring backpacks or large bags inside events, except diaper and medical bags, which could be searched. Student-athletes can still bring bags.
Middle schools in the district will not have athletic events this week, but there will be practice.
NEW: The Rowan County Board of Education just announced new security measures for sporting events, after a shooting that injured two people at a holiday basketball tournament.
— DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) January 5, 2022
Among the changes, fans will now enter through a security checkpoint and be wanded by a metal detector pic.twitter.com/NwGfoGD393
There will be no home games for high schools in RSS this week, but away games and practice are allowed.
School board chair Dean Hunter said they canceled games to give the administration time to put security changes into place and not because of an imminent threat.
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“That decision out of the administration was not out of fear of something dangerous happening, it was as we have time to implement the new safety procedures,” Hunter said.
Board members said these moves are the first step and more changes are on the way.
(WATCH BELOW: Two juveniles arrested for shooting at basketball tournament at Catawba College, police say)
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