Active Shooter
An active shooter incident (ASI) involves one or more persons using a firearm, engaging in a random or systematic shooting spree. The vast majority of shootings in this country are over in a matter of minutes, involve persons known to one another and are confined to a particular area. An ASI does not follow this template. It may last minutes or hours, range over a large and constantly changing area, and threaten everyone within close proximity of the shooter(s). Persons may or may not receive advance warning of a shooter. A witness, personal observation or the sound of gunshots may be the only alert you receive, leaving little time to react. The sound of gunshots, unlike special effects in movies and television, may sound muffled and make a "pop, pop, pop" noise. It is reasonable to assume that a series of such noises are gunshots and you should begin to take necessary precautions. The traditional response to this type of incident has been to shelter-in-place and wait for the police to arrive. While this type of response is not completely wrong, case studies of several active shooter incidents have shown that using only this response has resulted in concept failure, leading to an increase in casualties. The "Run, Hide, Fight" response plan has been identified to assist you in your response should this type of incident occur.
Secondary Issues
- Responding Police will have their weapons drawn and ready for use. They may not know exactly who the shooter is and will probably point weapons at you. Remain calm and follow any directions they may give you. You may be asked questions, searched and given orders to exit.
- Responding Police are there to stop the shooter as soon as possible. They may bypass injured people and will not help you escape. Only after the shooter is stopped will they begin to provide other assistance.
- If you come into possession of a weapon, do NOT carry or brandish it! Police may think you are the shooter. If possible, put it in a trashcan and carry it with you. If you come across police, calmly tell them what you are carrying and why. Follow their commands. It is also ok the leave weapons behind. Do not attempt to carry rifles.
- Be prepared to provide first aid. Think outside the box. Tampons and feminine napkins can be used to stop blood loss. Shoes laces and belts can be used to secure tourniquets. Weighted shoes can be tied around a person’s head to immobilize it. Remember it may be several hours until you can safely move an injured person. The actions you take immediately to treat them may save their life.
- If you are in lockdown for a long period of time, give consideration to issues such as bathroom use, keeping people calm, etc.
- Discuss beforehand with people in your office or classes where you will meet up should you have to evacuate; make it a place easily accessible and far away from the scene.
- Talk to your students and co-workers beforehand to know if they have any special skills. Consider strategic placement of these people in a classroom or office setting. You may have current or ex-military personnel, medically trained persons, or even people trained in martial arts that can provide assistance in this type of incident.
- Consider setting up classrooms and offices to make it harder for a shooter to enter and acquire targets.