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The past few years have seen an increase in shootings. These shootings could happen anywhere, even at work or in schools. If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve probably been asking yourself what you’d do if you ever ended up in the crossfire. Maybe you have an escape plan ready for your house or your workplace but nothing is guaranteed to be foolproof when an active shooter situation starts.
You’ve probably seen news of mass shootings all over your social media. According to data from the FBI there were 30 active shooter incidents in 2017. 138 people died in these shootings, which marks the first time the death toll of such incidents has been higher than 90 in a single year. Between 2016 and 2017 there were active shooter situations in 21 states and what makes these numbers possibly even more frightening is that they seemed to happen practically anywhere–malls, schools, churches, governments buildings…no type of location seemed to be spared from this violence.
Your first reaction in an active shooter situation will probably be to panic. This is absolutely understandable but, unfortunately, you won’t be able to make solid, logic-based decisions if you can’t control your panic. In this article, we’ll be discussing how to respond in an active shooter situation. We’ll try to give you some tips on how to overcome your fear, prepare your mind, and make the best decisions when confronted with an active shooter.
WHO ARE THESE ACTIVE SHOOTERS?
Although there is no one all-encompassing set of characteristics that we have to describe a potential active shooter, the FBI has identified a list of potential warning signs. Personal grievances, recent acquisitions of multiple weapons, recent interest in previous shootings, increased weapons training, and the experience of a perceived personal loss are all things linked to active shooters. Victims in mass shootings tend to be selected randomly and active shooters usually work alone. Handguns are the weapons most frequently used in these incidents.
Active shooters are quite unpredictable and they seem to evolve very quickly. These people usually believe that they have an “axe to grind” and they are likely to target victims in their own communities or age groups by attacking in workplaces, schools, their homes or in churches. Potential active shooters are generally paranoid, believing that everyone is against them, or suicidal and sometimes both.
Workplace shooters tend to have a history of being uncooperative with supervisors and not complying with policy. They are known to be exploitative and/or manipulative. Many have a history of bullying, threatening violence, or committing violence. Shooters are likely to be withdrawn and depressed and may avoid co-workers. Serious financial problems and domestic violence are both linked to shooters. They may have been heard speaking about previous incidents of violence or empathizing with violent people. They also often show increased absenteeism and make vague physical complaints.
OUTSAFE SYSTEM
The OutSafe system is a framework of action designed to keep you safe by giving you an easy-to-remember series of options to think through. The system is composed of 5 steps which do not need to be followed in order. In a given situation, some steps may be skipped while others may be best done simultaneously. You must always adapt to the situation.
Figure Out
This simply means be aware of your environment and identify what is going on. Are you hearing any of the following?
Gunshots
Explosions
Glass breaking
Arguing or yelling
Sounds of physical confrontation
Or are you just hearing harmless fireworks? If you recognize that something is wrong, take immediate action. Do not hesitate to act. Your life or the lives of others could be in danger.
Hide Out
When responding to an active shooting situation, find a place with cover. A locked room is a good option if there is no safe escape route. Try to figure out what will provide the most cover. It’s probably better to hide behind a stone wall than a wooden one, for example. Whenever possible, do not let yourself be exposed to danger. Try to bring others with you to safety. You could save lives.
Call Out
You can call 911 while on the run or seeking a place to hide. Even if you think others have already called 911, don’t hesitate to do so. Seconds count in these situations, so anything that may help should be attempted. Make sure to give as many details as you can to the 911 operator so that law enforcement officials can respond as knowledgeably as possible to the situation. Be careful not to expose your position while speaking.
Get Out
If it’s safe to do so, get out of the situation. Even if you believe that you’re in a safe hiding space, removing yourself (if possible) is an option you need to consider. If you decide to make a run for it, know where you will be running and do not hesitate. Do not expose yourself to direct gunfire if at all possible.
Fight Out
If an attacker finds their way into your hiding place and you feel that your life is in danger, you might be left with only one option…to fight back. If you choose not to fight in this situation, you might just be queuing yourself up to be the next victim. You’ll need to prepare mentally before attacking an active shooter. Make sure you are 100% committed to your actions if you choose to fight. Use all available weapons at your disposal. These could be chairs, backpacks, keys, or anything else that you could throw at or strike an attacker with.
Fight dirty if you have to! Feel free to attack the shooter in their groin, throat or eyes in order to take them down or stop them from pulling the trigger. Your ultimate goal will be to take control of the shooter and any weapon present and to hold out until law enforcement arrives. This is a dangerous situation and this is why you should always practice situational awareness and know what steps you may need to take to save your life or the lives of others.
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
There are many systems in place for how to respond to an active shooter situation such as “Run, Hide, Fight” and “Avoid, Deny, Defend.” These recommendations are based on documents from the Department of Homeland Security and the research of academics like Dr. Pete Blair of Texas State University. We’ll explore some of these actions below:
Avoid
Your first option is to get away from your attacker as much as possible. Leave your belongings behind and get away. Escape if possible but evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow. Warn and prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be. Call 911 once you are safe and tell them the location of the shooter and any weapons that are being used.
Deny
If fleeing is not possible, your next option is to deny access. Let us say that you are sitting in an office or classroom and hear gunfire in a hallway and that you’re worried that you could get shot. “Deny” means that you should take steps to keep the active shooter from getting to you. Switch off your electronic devices and make sure that they will not ring or vibrate while you’re hiding. Lock doors if you are hiding in a room with a lock.
Avoid hiding in groups. Your objective is to make it more difficult for the shooter. Spread out along walls or hide separately. Your hiding place should be out of the shooter’s view and you should try to make sure that it is secured and protected if shots are fired in your direction.
Defend
If you find yourself in really close proximity to an active shooter and they are trying to kill you, you have a legal right to defend yourself. Do not let yourself be killed. Typically, active shooters will not stop shooting until you are physically restrained or dead. The Department of Homeland Security recommends throwing an item and improvising weapons to distract and disarm the shooter if necessary.
Assess
Assess your environment during an active shooter situation. Practice situational awareness. Know where the entry and exit points are. Consider escape routes. Consider where you could find the most cover.
Adapt
If you are wondering how to respond to an active situation, bear in mind that there is no one response. You have to adapt. Your location, your proximity to the shooter, and your knowledge of possible escape routes are just some of the factors to take into account when in an active shooter situation. Plan, but always adapt.
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ACTIVE SHOOTERS IN THE WORKPLACE
You probably work 5 days out of every 7. If you’re spending that much time at your workplace you should definitely have a plan if something goes awry. While workplace homicides are generally down when looking over the past few decades, they seem to be slightly increasing when looking at data from 2013-2015. Of the 2173 assailants involved in workplace homicide from 2011-2105, 721 were robbers and, notably, 312 were co-workers or associates. These statistics come from a US Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
Start with Awareness
Active shooter situations are unpredictable. This is why you must always be aware. Practice situational awareness. This means knowing what’s going on around you at all times. Know your environment as well. If you’re new to your workplace study emergency plans, and get familiar with exits and entrances. Identify safe hiding spaces. If an active shooter appears, you’re probably going to panic. If you think through and plan possible options before an attack, your mind will have an easier time guiding your body to safety. Each situation will be unique, but things like elevators, staircases, and hiding places don’t move. Know where these things are.
Run, Hide, Fight
Run, Hide, Fight. These are easy words to remember and they are good to keep in mind when facing an active shooter situation. Follow them in this exact order. If you can run, do so. This is your safest and best option. If you’re unable to safely flee, find a place to hide. If you can’t get to a locked, secure room, consider hiding under something or behind something that will provide cover and keep you out of the line of fire. If you have no other choice, fight back. Commit and use any weapons available to you, even everyday objects.
Let’s say you’ve found a room with a door that doesn’t lock. Are there heavy objects in the room? Consider creating a barrier to keep the door shut or block entry. You could also try to secure the door with your belt or any available cords. Try to act as quietly as possible and turn off any devices that could make noise. Turn off all lights in the room and make yourself as invisible as possible.
If you can safely do so, call 911. Assess the situation and consider what is available to you and what might be used as a weapon if the attacker enters the room. Prepare for this entry, be ready if you need to fight.
If it comes to a fight, try to coordinate your attack. If you are in a group try to attack together to overwhelm and overpower an attacker. Aim for an attacker’s eyes, neck, shoulders, and arms to stop them from firing their weapon. Hit them in the groin if you need to. Anything goes in a life or death situation. If you are able to incapacitate the attacker, call 911 immediately and keep the attacker under your control until help arrives.
Avoid a Stampede
If everyone tries to flee at once you might find yourself caught in a stampede and this could work to the attacker’s advantage. People could fall and be injured. In this situation try to always move with, not against, the flow of the crowd. Try to stay to the side of the crowd to avoid being smushed. The middle is the most dangerous place to be in a “stampede” situation.
Act Quickly
When looking for tips on responding to an active shooter situation, you should never hesitate about getting yourself to safety. Covering your head with your hands will not do you much. Your best option is to get away as quickly as possible.
When looking for tips on responding to an active shooter situation, don’t overlook the most obvious tip of all: act quickly. Do not hesitate in your actions. Covering your head with your hands might be your first instinct but it won’t do much to protect you. Your best bet is to act quickly, whether you’re running, hiding, or fighting.
WHAT TO DO WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES
You called 911 and law enforcement has arrived. Now what? Mind these steps to avoid any confusion:
Remain calm and follow instructions
Put down any items in your hands
Raise your hands and spread your fingers
Keep your hands visible at all times
Avoid quick movements towards officers
Do not try to touch officers or try to hold them for safety
Avoid pointing, screaming, or yelling
Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating
The first officers on the scene will probably not step to help the injured. Rescue teams will follow these initial officers to take care of anyone who is hurt. Once you reach a safe location, you’ll likely be held in that area by law enforcement officers until the situation is under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned. Don’t leave the safe area until authorities instruct you to do so.
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How to Stay Safe in an Active Shooter Situation
The GMW Concealed Carry Gun Pack. Now available now on Amazon.com.
BUY NOW
BUY NOW
The past few years have seen an increase in shootings. These shootings could happen anywhere, even at work or in schools. If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve probably been asking yourself what you’d do if you ever ended up in the crossfire. Maybe you have an escape plan ready for your house or your workplace but nothing is guaranteed to be foolproof when an active shooter situation starts.
You’ve probably seen news of mass shootings all over your social media. According to data from the FBI there were 30 active shooter incidents in 2017. 138 people died in these shootings, which marks the first time the death toll of such incidents has been higher than 90 in a single year. Between 2016 and 2017 there were active shooter situations in 21 states and what makes these numbers possibly even more frightening is that they seemed to happen practically anywhere–malls, schools, churches, governments buildings…no type of location seemed to be spared from this violence.
Your first reaction in an active shooter situation will probably be to panic. This is absolutely understandable but, unfortunately, you won’t be able to make solid, logic-based decisions if you can’t control your panic. In this article, we’ll be discussing how to respond in an active shooter situation. We’ll try to give you some tips on how to overcome your fear, prepare your mind, and make the best decisions when confronted with an active shooter.
WHO ARE THESE ACTIVE SHOOTERS?
Although there is no one all-encompassing set of characteristics that we have to describe a potential active shooter, the FBI has identified a list of potential warning signs. Personal grievances, recent acquisitions of multiple weapons, recent interest in previous shootings, increased weapons training, and the experience of a perceived personal loss are all things linked to active shooters. Victims in mass shootings tend to be selected randomly and active shooters usually work alone. Handguns are the weapons most frequently used in these incidents.
Active shooters are quite unpredictable and they seem to evolve very quickly. These people usually believe that they have an “axe to grind” and they are likely to target victims in their own communities or age groups by attacking in workplaces, schools, their homes or in churches. Potential active shooters are generally paranoid, believing that everyone is against them, or suicidal and sometimes both.
Workplace shooters tend to have a history of being uncooperative with supervisors and not complying with policy. They are known to be exploitative and/or manipulative. Many have a history of bullying, threatening violence, or committing violence. Shooters are likely to be withdrawn and depressed and may avoid co-workers. Serious financial problems and domestic violence are both linked to shooters. They may have been heard speaking about previous incidents of violence or empathizing with violent people. They also often show increased absenteeism and make vague physical complaints.
OUTSAFE SYSTEM
The OutSafe system is a framework of action designed to keep you safe by giving you an easy-to-remember series of options to think through. The system is composed of 5 steps which do not need to be followed in order. In a given situation, some steps may be skipped while others may be best done simultaneously. You must always adapt to the situation.
Figure Out
This simply means be aware of your environment and identify what is going on. Are you hearing any of the following?
Or are you just hearing harmless fireworks? If you recognize that something is wrong, take immediate action. Do not hesitate to act. Your life or the lives of others could be in danger.
Hide Out
When responding to an active shooting situation, find a place with cover. A locked room is a good option if there is no safe escape route. Try to figure out what will provide the most cover. It’s probably better to hide behind a stone wall than a wooden one, for example. Whenever possible, do not let yourself be exposed to danger. Try to bring others with you to safety. You could save lives.
Call Out
You can call 911 while on the run or seeking a place to hide. Even if you think others have already called 911, don’t hesitate to do so. Seconds count in these situations, so anything that may help should be attempted. Make sure to give as many details as you can to the 911 operator so that law enforcement officials can respond as knowledgeably as possible to the situation. Be careful not to expose your position while speaking.
Get Out
If it’s safe to do so, get out of the situation. Even if you believe that you’re in a safe hiding space, removing yourself (if possible) is an option you need to consider. If you decide to make a run for it, know where you will be running and do not hesitate. Do not expose yourself to direct gunfire if at all possible.
Fight Out
If an attacker finds their way into your hiding place and you feel that your life is in danger, you might be left with only one option…to fight back. If you choose not to fight in this situation, you might just be queuing yourself up to be the next victim. You’ll need to prepare mentally before attacking an active shooter. Make sure you are 100% committed to your actions if you choose to fight. Use all available weapons at your disposal. These could be chairs, backpacks, keys, or anything else that you could throw at or strike an attacker with.
Fight dirty if you have to! Feel free to attack the shooter in their groin, throat or eyes in order to take them down or stop them from pulling the trigger. Your ultimate goal will be to take control of the shooter and any weapon present and to hold out until law enforcement arrives. This is a dangerous situation and this is why you should always practice situational awareness and know what steps you may need to take to save your life or the lives of others.
FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
There are many systems in place for how to respond to an active shooter situation such as “Run, Hide, Fight” and “Avoid, Deny, Defend.” These recommendations are based on documents from the Department of Homeland Security and the research of academics like Dr. Pete Blair of Texas State University. We’ll explore some of these actions below:
Avoid
Your first option is to get away from your attacker as much as possible. Leave your belongings behind and get away. Escape if possible but evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow. Warn and prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be. Call 911 once you are safe and tell them the location of the shooter and any weapons that are being used.
Deny
If fleeing is not possible, your next option is to deny access. Let us say that you are sitting in an office or classroom and hear gunfire in a hallway and that you’re worried that you could get shot. “Deny” means that you should take steps to keep the active shooter from getting to you. Switch off your electronic devices and make sure that they will not ring or vibrate while you’re hiding. Lock doors if you are hiding in a room with a lock.
Avoid hiding in groups. Your objective is to make it more difficult for the shooter. Spread out along walls or hide separately. Your hiding place should be out of the shooter’s view and you should try to make sure that it is secured and protected if shots are fired in your direction.
Defend
If you find yourself in really close proximity to an active shooter and they are trying to kill you, you have a legal right to defend yourself. Do not let yourself be killed. Typically, active shooters will not stop shooting until you are physically restrained or dead. The Department of Homeland Security recommends throwing an item and improvising weapons to distract and disarm the shooter if necessary.
Assess
Assess your environment during an active shooter situation. Practice situational awareness. Know where the entry and exit points are. Consider escape routes. Consider where you could find the most cover.
Adapt
If you are wondering how to respond to an active situation, bear in mind that there is no one response. You have to adapt. Your location, your proximity to the shooter, and your knowledge of possible escape routes are just some of the factors to take into account when in an active shooter situation. Plan, but always adapt.
TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ACTIVE SHOOTERS IN THE WORKPLACE
You probably work 5 days out of every 7. If you’re spending that much time at your workplace you should definitely have a plan if something goes awry. While workplace homicides are generally down when looking over the past few decades, they seem to be slightly increasing when looking at data from 2013-2015. Of the 2173 assailants involved in workplace homicide from 2011-2105, 721 were robbers and, notably, 312 were co-workers or associates. These statistics come from a US Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
Start with Awareness
Active shooter situations are unpredictable. This is why you must always be aware. Practice situational awareness. This means knowing what’s going on around you at all times. Know your environment as well. If you’re new to your workplace study emergency plans, and get familiar with exits and entrances. Identify safe hiding spaces. If an active shooter appears, you’re probably going to panic. If you think through and plan possible options before an attack, your mind will have an easier time guiding your body to safety. Each situation will be unique, but things like elevators, staircases, and hiding places don’t move. Know where these things are.
Run, Hide, Fight
Run, Hide, Fight. These are easy words to remember and they are good to keep in mind when facing an active shooter situation. Follow them in this exact order. If you can run, do so. This is your safest and best option. If you’re unable to safely flee, find a place to hide. If you can’t get to a locked, secure room, consider hiding under something or behind something that will provide cover and keep you out of the line of fire. If you have no other choice, fight back. Commit and use any weapons available to you, even everyday objects.
Let’s say you’ve found a room with a door that doesn’t lock. Are there heavy objects in the room? Consider creating a barrier to keep the door shut or block entry. You could also try to secure the door with your belt or any available cords. Try to act as quietly as possible and turn off any devices that could make noise. Turn off all lights in the room and make yourself as invisible as possible.
If you can safely do so, call 911. Assess the situation and consider what is available to you and what might be used as a weapon if the attacker enters the room. Prepare for this entry, be ready if you need to fight.
If it comes to a fight, try to coordinate your attack. If you are in a group try to attack together to overwhelm and overpower an attacker. Aim for an attacker’s eyes, neck, shoulders, and arms to stop them from firing their weapon. Hit them in the groin if you need to. Anything goes in a life or death situation. If you are able to incapacitate the attacker, call 911 immediately and keep the attacker under your control until help arrives.
Avoid a Stampede
If everyone tries to flee at once you might find yourself caught in a stampede and this could work to the attacker’s advantage. People could fall and be injured. In this situation try to always move with, not against, the flow of the crowd. Try to stay to the side of the crowd to avoid being smushed. The middle is the most dangerous place to be in a “stampede” situation.
Act Quickly
When looking for tips on responding to an active shooter situation, you should never hesitate about getting yourself to safety. Covering your head with your hands will not do you much. Your best option is to get away as quickly as possible.
When looking for tips on responding to an active shooter situation, don’t overlook the most obvious tip of all: act quickly. Do not hesitate in your actions. Covering your head with your hands might be your first instinct but it won’t do much to protect you. Your best bet is to act quickly, whether you’re running, hiding, or fighting.
WHAT TO DO WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES
You called 911 and law enforcement has arrived. Now what? Mind these steps to avoid any confusion:
The first officers on the scene will probably not step to help the injured. Rescue teams will follow these initial officers to take care of anyone who is hurt. Once you reach a safe location, you’ll likely be held in that area by law enforcement officers until the situation is under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned. Don’t leave the safe area until authorities instruct you to do so.