Active Shooter Situation

Active Shooter Circumstances

An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Because of this, individuals must be prepared to deal with an active shooter situation before law enforcement personnel arrive on the scene.  For this reason, it is important that you are prepared to take the actions necessary to protect yourself.

Options on how to respond when an active shooter is in your vicinity:

RUN

    • Have an escape route and plan in mind. Rehearse your exit plan.
    • If it is safe to do so, you should get out of the building and move as far away until you are in a safe location away from danger.
    • Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow.
    • Leave your belongings behind, but take your cellphone if it is in close proximity.
    • Help others escape, if possible.
    • Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be.
    • Keep your hands visible.
    • Follow the instructions of any police officer during an evacuation.
    • Call 911 or Campus Security at 740.283.6911 when you are safe.

 

HIDE

    • Find a place to hide and find protection.
    • Hide in an area out of the active shooter’s view (i.e., hide behind large items such as cabinets and desks).
    • Block entry to your hiding place (i.e., barricade the door with heavy furniture, etc.) and lock the doors.
    • If the door has a lock, use it. If the door opens in, barricade it closed with heavy furniture or any items located in the area. You may also use something to wedge under the door to help barricade it.
    • If the door opens out, tie a belt or other items to the door and then to a heavy piece of furniture that cannot be pulled through the doorway. This will help to keep the door from being opened from the hallway. Again cover the door with furniture or other items in the area.
    • If the door has a window, cover it if you can.
    • Depending on the gunman’s location, consideration may also be made to exit through ground floor window openings. Have someone watch as you get as many people out of the windows as calmly and quietly as possible.
    • If the windows do not open, or you cannot break them, or you are not on the ground floor, get out of sight from the door, stay away from windows, take cover behind or under furniture, stay low, keep quiet, and act as if no one is in the room.
    • Remain quiet and silence your cellphone.
    • Do not answer the door.
    • Turn off any source of noise (i.e., radios, televisions).
    • Close the blinds, turn off the lights, spread out away from other individuals if possible and move behind cover.
    • Stay on the floor, away from doors and windows, and do not peek out to see what may be happening.
    • Do not to restrict your options for movement, if possible.
    • If safe to do so, call 911 to alert the police of the active shooter’s location and offer as many details as possible (i.e., number of shooters, physical description of the shooter(s), number and type of weapons, number of potential victims, etc.).
    • If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen.

 

FIGHT

    • As a last resort, take action against the active shooter only when your life is in imminent danger and there are no other options. Attempt to incapacitate or disrupt the assailant.
    • Act as physically aggressively as possible against the active shooter (i.e., throwing items, creating weapons, trip them with a chair, find an object to strike the assailant with).
    • Make a plan with others in the room about what you will do if the shooter enters the room and act as a team with others. If fighting is your only option, try to fight in a group (swarm).
    • Make a total commitment to your action.
    • Do whatever is necessary to survive the situation.
    • These best practices are demonstrated in the video shown here.

 

How to respond when law enforcement arrives on the scene

    • Remain calm and follow the officer’s instructions.
    • Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets).
    • Immediately raise hands and spread fingers.
    • Keep hands visible at all times.
    • Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as attempting to hold on to them for safety.
    • Avoid pointing, screaming and/or yelling.
    • Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating, just proceed in the direction from which officers are entering the premises.
    • Be prepared to provide law enforcement with the location of the active shooter(s); number of shooters, physical description of the shooter(s), number and type of weapons, number of potential victims, etc.).

 

Awareness and Preparation

Develop a survival mindset. Be aware of your surroundings. Take time to understand your surroundings and location before an emergency occurs. Ask yourself, “What if?” questions and develop a plan. You can better prepare for an active shooter situation by imagining various scenarios playing out in the locations you take classes, study, reside or work.

An active shooter may be a current or former student or employee of the University. Alert the Office of Human Resources or the Office of Student Life if you believe a student or employee exhibits potentially violent behavior. Although one cannot accurately predict who may become an active shooter, there are signs of identifying a person at risk. Be aware of the signs of potentially violent behavior which may include one or more of the following:

    • Behavioral changes such as angry and/or emotional outbursts, agitation, intimidation, bullying, altercations with others, increased and/or erratic severe mood swings, noticeably unstable or emotional responses, strange and disturbing behavior, disruptive behavior, extreme or prolonged sadness, isolated or withdrawn, significant problems interacting with others;
    • Increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs;
    • Unexplained increase in absenteeism, and/or vague physical complaints, significant drop in performance, inappropriate or incoherent writing;
    • Increasingly talks of problems at home;
    • Increase in unsolicited comments about violence, firearms, and other dangerous weapons and violent crimes.
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