RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The deadly mass shooting in Oregon on Thursday that killed three children and a teacher is renewing attention on school safety, with experts urging districts to review emergency plans and North Carolina officials highlighting efforts designed to stop attacks before they happen.Security experts said tragedies such as the one in Oregon serve as reminders for schools to regularly evaluate and practice their safety protocols.”The likelihood is it’s a real possibility. This is something that we need to plan for,” said Dr. Roy Taylor, a police and security procedure expert.Taylor said effective preparation requires more than creating a plan.”That planning is the biggest part of it. And then, of course, once you’ve got the plan in place, we need to exercise it and have a full-scale exercise,” he said.As schools revisit safety measures in the wake of the Oregon shooting, North Carolina officials point to the State Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Unit, or BeTA Unit, as one tool aimed at preventing violence before it occurs.The unit receives reports about individuals of concern, works with local law enforcement and conducts threat assessments to determine the level of risk a person may pose.”Our unit will intervene and do a full behavioral background assessment on the individual, and work to develop a plan to prevent that attack from occurring,” said Dr. Nicole Jones, a psychologist with the NC SBI BeTA Unit.According to unit officials, the BeTA Unit intervened in 52 high-risk cases over a two-year period between 2022-2024.Jones said officials continue to monitor evolving threats, including activity in certain online communities.”We’re also seeing a rise and nihilistic violent extremism, 764, and other online communities that are fueling some of these violent thoughts and actions,” Jones said.Officials said bystanders can also play a critical role in preventing attacks. Jones said people planning acts of violence often share information with others before carrying them out.”These perpetrators almost always share information with other people who are around them,” Jones said.She said reporting concerning behavior can significantly reduce the likelihood of an attack.”The likelihood of them committing a mass attack if that bystander reports it to law enforcement decreases dramatically,” Jones said.Officials also encouraged parents to stay informed about school safety procedures and monitor their children’s online activity. They said recognizing warning signs and reporting concerns can play an important role in preventing future acts of violence.Download the ABC11 News appCopyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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