Understanding an Active Shooter Situation in America
Active shooter events have been increasing in America over the years. Even though your odds of being involved in one are still very slim, making a plan in advance can make all the difference. If you do find yourself in the middle of a senseless attack, the “why” doesn’t immediately matter, all that truly matters is surviving.
What is an Active Shooter?
The United States Department of Homeland Security defines the active shooter as “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.”
Understanding Active Shooter Incidents
Although it was not the first major incident of violence in the United States, the shooting in Columbine High School in Colorado (April 20, 1999) where 12 students, 1 teacher and 24 more were injured, really captured the attention of the American people.
One of the reasons it was so impactful is because this shooting took place where violent crimes did not normally occur. Columbine was an upper middle-class suburban high school where a majority of the students graduated and attended college.
In many ways, this event caused law enforcement to develop different methods of response. As more and more active shooter incidents occur, the process or methods of developing policies, practices and training for “active shooter” events is constantly being developed and changed by law enforcement.
Response Time to an Active Shooter Situation by Law Enforcement
Response times by law enforcement have definitely improved. At the time of the Columbine High School, it took more than 30 minutes for them to enter the school.
The policies and procedures at the time were to contain the situation and wait for S.W.A.T (Special Weapons and Tactics) teams because they were better equipped and trained to handle hostage negotiations. Unfortunately Columbine was not a hostage situation, it was two young kids whose intent was to kill people at random.
Columbine brought a realization that a much faster response was needed to quickly end active shooter incidents instead of the “contain and negotiate” policies that were in place at the time.
The new active shooter protocols have been difficult to implement. A faster response is more dangerous for patrol officers who have to quickly move to confront an active shooter.
It is important for law enforcement to receive as much training as possible because during a mass shooting incident, they will be the first to arrive and the first to encounter the shooter.
Hostage Situations vs. Active Shooter Incidents
Active shooter incidents are different than hostage situations. During a hostage situation, the perpetrator barricades him or herself behind closed doors, they may or may not have hostages, and they have not harmed anyone at that point.
During an active shooter scenario, the shooter is causing immediate harm to people, making him or herself a threat that must be handled immediately before more people are injured or killed.
When to Take Someone’s Threats Seriously
Most active shooters will let others know their intent before it ever happens. Individuals who talk about shooting up people or places should be taken seriously, especially if they constantly talk about it.
Whether it’s in person or online, someone who makes comments, especially detailed comments, about committing an act of violence against others should be reported to local authorities. Active shooter incidents are happening much too often for society to take these types of comments and threats lightly.
Characteristics of an Active Shooter
Determining the characteristics of an active shooter is difficult. Active shooter scenarios are unique and the shooter’s motive has a wide range.
Here is a list of characteristics that most active shooters have in common:
Motive — It seems most, if not all, active shooters act in the name of hate, violence or rage.
Planned Attacks — Active shooters often have a plan and a reason for committing these acts of violence. The motive is different and is rarely a random act.
Location — Active shooters almost always have some association with where they attack. They also choose an area with a lot of people around like schools, shopping centers, theaters and other places with a high volume of people present during the attack.
Weapons — They are almost always more armed than local law enforcement and have several types of weapons at their disposal. They usually carry large amounts of ammunition and plan for a long term fight with law enforcement.
Suicidal — The majority of active shooters are suicidal or have no plans of being caught. Most either take their own life or are killed by law enforcement.
Mass Targets — Most active shooters engage multiple targets. Although they may have certain individuals targeted, they usually target anyone they see. It’s difficult to know or predict their random choices.
Tactical Advantage — Most active shooters seem to have a tactical advantage or a way of staying mobile. This does not necessarily mean they are in vehicles but move around from room to room or even building to building.
Traps/Bombs — Many active shooters make explosive devices to use against people or maybe to create a diversion.
The characteristics of an active shooter can vary but one thing is certain, law enforcement’s policy is to keep the public safe and ensure the threat is stopped immediately.
Types of Weapons Used by Shooters
The majority of attackers use a pistol to commit an attack. The next most used weapon is a rifle, followed by a shotgun. Very few attackers have been known to wear body armor and even less have been known to wear explosive devices. It is also important to know that most active shooters are more armed than local law enforcement officers on scene.
Why “Solo Entry” is Dangerous for Patrol Officers
When there is an active shooter incident, it is usually the patrol officer who is first on scene and will go do a “solo entry” to control the threat.
The main thing to keep in mind is that the patrol officer who is first on scene could potentially be dealing with an attacker who may be more armed and better equipped than they are for a fire fight.
In many cases, the scenario ends with one of the following outcomes:
- The patrol officer shooting and killing the attacker.
- The attacker kills him or herself.
- The patrol officer subdues the attacker.
- The patrol officer gets shot by the attacker.
While conducting a “solo entry” law enforcement officers willingly place their lives on the line because they understand the risks of not taking immediate action during an active shooter incident. They understand that more lives could be lost if they do not act fast.
Understanding the Role of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Response During an Active Shooter Situation
The national standard for EMS during an active shooter incident is that workers will not enter an unsecure scene. They do not want to become another victim while they are trying to help those who are injured.
Unfortunately, it takes time to make sure that the scene is one hundred percent secure. Until that happens, EMS workers are not allowed to enter into a scenario that has not been secured by law enforcement.
One of the issues is that during an active shooter situation, there are many 911 calls being made that provide different details about the look and whereabouts of the shooter.
There really is no way of telling how many shooters there are because of the many calls and different descriptions being given by concerned citizens.
Many patrol officers who perform a “solo entry” will walk past people who are injured because his or her primary goal is to stop the threat. As much as they wish they could help you and provide emergency care, it is just not a priority until the scene is safe.
Using Social Media During an Active Shooter Incident
Law enforcement will use social media to get information out as quickly as possible. The issue with social media is that everyone else will post about the active shooter event at the same time. This can cause chaos and misinformation to spread like wildfire.
It is important to share information and help keep others safe but make sure you are in a safe place to do so and the information you provide is accurate.
The best policy on this is to report it to law enforcement and give them as much detailed information as possible.
Active shooter incidents are happening more frequently especially at schools. It’s important to teach and train your family on what to do if they’re even in a horrific situation like this.
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