Deputies utilize drones during active shooter drill in Iredell County

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — It’s something the Iredell County Sheriff’s Department said it never wants to happen but is ready for just in case.

That something is an active shooter situation.

“We are trying to be very proactive in our community to make sure our children are safe. That’s our main goal here with the sheriff’s office and with ISS. The sheriff set this up. We worked this out over the last three months,” Major Joel Hepler said.

The sheriff’s office said it runs active shooter drills at least once a year.

Friday morning, it ran one at Lake Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, the largest school campus in their jurisdiction.

ALSO READ: False active shooter scare reported at UNC Charlotte, CMPD says

While the kids were out of school, the teachers were working and participating in the drill.

It included drone technology that the sheriff’s office said can be used to keep deputies safe, as well as have an advantage over would-be shooters.

“We want to take it inside the building. We’re going to have the pilot fly through and follow the action. That can be used in a real-life situation; you can use the drone like a robot. Where it sees around a corner before a person goes into the line of fire,” said SRO Unit Captain Matthew Burleyson.

The drones would also be used to record the response during the drills so the sheriff’s office can identify ways to improve.

“Proactivity. If you don’t train, you don’t know what’s going to happen if the situation actually occurs. Like I said, God forbid that ever happens,” Hepler elaborated.

Along with going into the building and recording training exercises, the drones can also feed live video back to the sheriff’s office command center in Statesville during active situations.

VIDEO: False active shooter scare reported at UNC Charlotte, CMPD says