Dozens of Donald Trump supporters in North Carolina were startled to find their vehicles had been towed after they reportedly got permission to park in a Dunkin’ parking lot during a campaign rally Wednesday.

The Charlotte rally was the former president’s first public campaign event since President Biden’s exit from the 2024 race and since the assassination attempt on Trump.

The Secret Service has reportedly recommended no more outdoor rallies for the former president after the assassination attempt.

Once the rally ended, drivers were stunned to find their vehicles had been towed.

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Drivers told WBTV the manager of the Dunkin’ allowed them to leave their cars in the lot during the rally. However, when asked for comment, they said several people were told they could not park there and that signs on the property indicate no parking for non-customers.

A spokesperson for Dunkin’ told Fox News Digital that no one from that store gave anyone permission to park in the lot and said that there are signs along the street that state you can not park there unless you are in the business and if you do park, you are at risk of being towed. 

He also added that a bar across from Dunkin’ was having a rally event and drivers could have been misinformed by someone there.

Tow trucks reportedly showed up and began removing vehicles from the parking lot during the rally.

“The managers inside promised that they could park here,” Zander DeSoto, a Trump rally attendee, told WBTV. “Some of the people here even gave money to the people inside.”

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Former President Trump repeatedly criticized Vice President Kamala Harris on border security at his rally in Charlotte, N.C., July 24, 2024. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser )

To make matters worse, people whose vehicles were towed from the Dunkin’ parking lot had to pay hundreds of dollars to a towing company to get their cars back. 

“Something very fishy [is] going on here because I’ve never seen anything like this happen before,” one attendee told WBTV.

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The crowd inside the Bojangles Coliseum ahead of former President Trump’s appearance at a rally in Charlotte, N.C., July 24, 2024. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

“The whole parking lot is gone … everybody,” he explained. “They locked the doors. They won’t answer our calls, and they won’t even answer at the window.”

One family told WBTV they traveled over two hours to attend the rally. And when they walked back to their car afterward, it was gone. 

Gotcha Towing & Recovery, the company tasked with towing vehicles from the parking lot, told WBTV there was a sign warning that illegally parked cars would be removed, and the only way people could get their cars was to pay a $380 towing fee.

The Dunkin’ spokesperson said they do not have any connection to the towing company and that it is outsourced through the city or privately and not through Dunkin’. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Gotcha Towing & Recovery, which refused to comment. 

A fishing crew recently set a new state record after reeling in a huge bull shark at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.

The Bon Secour Butchers team on “The Orca” vessel caught the 494.5-pound beast at the tournament on Dauphin Island.

“A catch like that coming through our weigh station really galvanizes everyone and every entity involved. We all feel apart of the catch,” an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo representative told Fox News Digital.

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The team was assembled with Captain Adam Lyons, first mate Tommy “The Tuna Bowyer,” Captain David Stiller “The Shark Killer” and crew member Michael Maguire.

“When you are tackling an animal this large, it is critical to leverage heavy tackle and perform excellent boat work,” Captain Adam Lyons told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.

“With a line in the water with that much tension there are risks involved, you want to avoid anything that could damage the line, such as the boat itself. Essentially, we want to tire the shark out to the point we can safely get a tail rope in place. Once we can tail the shark, it is game over for the shark.”

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“A catch like that coming through our weigh station really galvanizes everyone and every entity involved. We all feel apart of the catch,” an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo representative said.  (Adam Lyons)

“Boating the shark was relatively easy because we had a winch on board, which is normally used in commercial fishing. The combination of angler experience, captain work and patience was the winning recipe,” Lyons added.

The group of men were awarded $6,000 for clinching first place for the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot.

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“It’s really neat to see an angler get a once-in-a-lifetime catch and be able to break a rodeo and state record,” Matt Glass, president, 91st Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, told Fox News Digital.

The group of men were awarded $6,000 for clinching first place for the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot. (Adam Lyons)

Founded in 1929, the rodeo is the largest fishing tournament in the world, attracting over 4,000 anglers and 75,000 spectators, according to the event’s website.

“The tireless work performed by our research team has facilitated this type and the long-lasting memories that come along with it,” Glass said.

The 2024 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo had 3,734 angler participants and weighed a whopping 3,243 fish during the tournament. (Adam Lyons)

This year’s rodeo had 3,734 angler participants and weighed a whopping 3,243 fish during the tournament.

The previous Alabama state record for the largest bull shark catch was set in 2015 at 448 pounds.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is reportedly a contender to serve as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Cooper, 67, is a staunch Harris supporter who has served as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017.

Prior to being elected to the state’s highest elected office, Cooper, a native of Nashville, North Carolina, served a 16-year stint as the Tar Heel State’s attorney general from 2001 to 2017.

Prior to entering politics, Cooper attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected to serve as the president of the university’s Young Democrats. He later earned a doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1982.

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During Cooper’s time in law school, then North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt appointed him to the State Goals and Policy Board. At the time, he was the youngest member to serve on the board. Additionally, Hunt, the state’s 69th and 71st governor, appointed Cooper to the Interim Balance Growth Board and the North Carolina 2000 Commission.

In 1985, Cooper filed paperwork to run for the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing the state’s 72nd District. He won that election in 1986, defeating Allen Barbee, his 12-term incumbent Democratic primary challenger.

Cooper continued his legal studies during his time in the state House. In 1991, following the death of state Sen. Jim Ezzell in a car crash, Cooper was appointed to serve the remainder of Ezzell’s Senate term. Six years later, he was elected majority leader of the state Senate following then-leader Richard Conder’s resignation.

Cooper went on to be elected to the North Carolina Bar Association’s Board of Governors, a role he held until 2002.

Cooper filed paperwork to run as the state’s attorney general in January 2000. He defeated Republican Dan Boyce in the Nov. 2000 general election. Cooper took office in January 2001 and won re-election to the position in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

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Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks in Durham, North Carolina, on March 1, 2024. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In 2016, Cooper sought election to serve as the governor of North Carolina. He defeated incumbent Republican Pat McCrory in the state’s general election. He went on to win re-election as governor in 2020 against Dan Forest, the state’s lieutenant governor and Republican nominee.

Cooper, an advocate for many liberal policies and proposals, has worked to portray himself as a moderate among his Democrat cohorts. He has had difficulty in doing so, however, in a state former President Donald Trump carried in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

During his tenure as governor, Cooper has repeatedly battled the Republican-led state legislature. In October 2023, he sued state GOP lawmakers over a measure that eliminated his authority to pick elections board members.

Cooper has also vetoed numerous measures that passed through the North Carolina General Assembly, many of which have been overridden by Republicans.

In recent weeks, Cooper has been seen by many political strategists and insiders as a reliable choice for Harris as a running mate in the 2024 White House race.

Just days after President Biden announced his decision to step aside in the presidential race and endorsed Harris for the role, Cooper stumped for Harris at a Democrat field office in Raleigh.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks at a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., on April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

“North Carolinians will make a difference this year, folks,” Cooper said at the time.

“There are a lot of people that she can choose, she’s going to make the right choice,” he added. “I just want her to choose the person who is going to give her the best chance to win.”