Active Shooter Strategies

The Columbine tragedy on April 20, 1999 began a new era in law enforcement as it became apparent that the police response to such mass shootings must be drastically altered. By the time the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred on December 14, 2012, outdated police response strategies had been replaced with new, aggressive tactics used by the first officers on the scene. The frequency with which these events occur remind us time and again about the importance of training and preparing for these critical situations before they occur in our own backyards. Active Shooter Events and Response is one of the first attempts to not only discuss historic active shooter events, but also to actually dissect some of them—empowering law enforcement professionals by leveraging the essential knowledge and experience of those who have gone before us. The book also offers insight into the training methodologies and strategies used to prepare our nation’s first responders to address the active shooter threat. In addition, the authors discuss the clear and present threat of terrorist organizations using these mass shooter tactics on American soil—similar to the attacks in Beslan, Russia and Mumbai, India. Written by members of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University, this book is the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of training and research into active shooter events and represents state-of-the-art, evidence-based best practices.

An "active shooter" is defined as an individual armed with a firearm who has been shooting citizens, and who continues to do so even in the presence of responding officers. How you respond to an active shooter will be dictated by the specific circumstances of the encounter, bearing in mind there could be more than one shooter involved in the same situation. If you find yourself involved in an active shooter situation, try to remain calm and use these guidelines to help you plan a strategy for survival. HAVE A PLAN!! Unlike a barricaded suspect who tends to stay in a known and confined area, a active shooter is on the move, difficult to isolate, his precise location may be unknown, and there is immediate risk of death or serious injury to potential victims. Since the middle of the last century, their have been thousand’s of active shooter incidents in the United States and abroad. In the public school’s, their have been over one hundred student on student shootings. One of the earliest active shooter school incidents occurred at the University of Texas on August 1, 1966 when student Charles Whitman shot and killed fifteen, and wounded 31 from a school tower in the center of the campus. 1.Active shooter incidents are usually spontaneous. 2.Active shooter behavior is unpredictable; violence may be indiscriminate or specific. 3.Active shooters may be suicidal, deciding to die in the course of their actions either at the hand of others or by self-inflicted wound. 4.Incidents often occur in a target-rich environment. 5.Active shooters usually have some degree of familiarity with the building or location they choose to occupy. 6.Most active shooter incidents are over within 10 minutes. 7.Active shooters may employ some type of diversion. 8.Multiple weapons are often used. ACTION: Respond to active shooter(s). CONDITION: Given a classroom environment, suitable training area, student issue, standard law enforcement equipment, police emergency vehicle, appropriate safety equipment and role players STANDARD: Responded to a simulated active shooter incident. Gathered three to four police officers formed either a triangle or diamond formation and proceeded directly to the location of the shooter(s). By-passed simulated injured personnel in order to find and eliminate the threat. Eliminated the threat(s) by using reasonable amount of force.

Active Shooter is all too common a phrase in the news these days. It is sad and terrible that we even have something to describe these horrific acts. The reality is that we live in a world that can, at times, be quite dangerous. The good news is that you do have options. You don't have to be a helpless victim! There are things you can learn to increase your survivability! This book will teach you how you can survive. Alain's unique methodology of Escape, Deny, and Attack Back is based on the central principle: you have to MOVE! Surviving a shooting is not a linear process as others would suggest, and this book will teach you when and how to Escape safely, how to Deny the shooter access to you if you can't escape, and how to successfully work alone, or as a team, to Attack Back and bring the killer down. Hiding and hoping isn't a plan and will likely get you killed. Learn to survive! This book is designed to save lives! Advance Praise: "Alain Burrese has written the definitive guide to mass shootings-and how to maximize your chances of surviving one. And the common-sense steps he recommends aren't just relevant for shootings-they're well calibrated to help you keep yourself and your family safe generally." - Barry Eisler "I have been studying the problem of active killer response for more than two decades. I've read every book available on the subject and have both attended and taught countless classes on the topic. Without question, Alain's book is the absolute best reference for active killer response available on the market today. His advice is both thorough and driven by industry best practices. If you want to learn how to prevail in an active killer attack, you need this book in your library." - Greg Ellifritz "Way back in the 1990's, Alain Burrese established himself as a leading thinker in self-defense circles when he published Hard-Won Wisdom from the School of Hard Knocks. In the intervening years, Alain has continued to learn, grow, research, publish, and teach. I had the privilege to read a draft of his latest book, Survive a Shooting, which you now hold in your hands. Succinct, clear and accurate are just what I expect from Alain. Survive A Shooting offers something else. Instead of jacking up the fear to create a market, Alain took a potentially terrifying subject and created a calming, empowering book. Yes, it's bad Alain points out. But there are things you can do. You are not helpless. That's the defining message of this very useful book. I hate touchy feely jargon, but Survive a Shooting is empowering. The kind of book that leaves you a little stronger, a little more ready." - Rory Miller "Survive a Shooting is a must read for anyone that may have to engage an active shooter or mass murderer. Alain did a great job detailing the history of mass shooting situations and what we must be prepared for in the future; as well as what we can do to mitigate this ominous threat." - Dr. Dale Comstock "The CIA trains operatives to survive in hostile environments. Survive A Shooting trains people to survive active threats. Putting the knowledge in this book to use could literally save your life." - Jason Hanson "No one wants to be a victim, yet learning how to successfully defend against an armed threat can be a significant challenge. Nevertheless, with the right training it's a surmountable one. If I was going to put my life (or a member of my family's) in someone else's hands during an active shooting, I can think of no better person to safeguard it than Alain Burrese. His knowledge, experience, and pragmatic approach create powerful, trustworthy advice that everyone must know." - Lawrence Kane

It's a sad fact that in today's world, mass shootings seem to be a regular thing in the United States. From schools to to colleges to grocery stores to concerts to other public areas, it seems that nowhere is safe. While the news media will usually focus on the political debates that arise as a result of these shootings, it is very rare that prominent discussions are held on what people need to do in an active shooter situation to survive. That changes now. Active shootings in public locations in the U.S have become more common. This is why it is so important for every person to understand how they need to respond should they find themselves under a hail of bullets. Something else I want to make clear is this guide is not a political book and is not going to touch on the debates surrounding what causes mass shootings or what needs to be done about them. This book is purely about what YOU need to do to keep yourself alive during a mass shooting situation. I have two pieces of good news for you: 1. You Don't Have To Rely On Luck To Survive A Mass Shooting 2. You Don't Have To Be Professionally Trained To Survive A Mass Shooting You can be just an ordinary person with knowledge of basic principles and strategies to survive an active shooter situation. This guide is going to outline 21 lessons on those principles and strategies that will enable you to survive unharmed and alive from any active shooter scenario that you may find yourself in. Most active shooter situations will only last ten or so minutes before the police arrive and put down the shooter, which is why you must be as mentally and physically prepared as possible to deal with the shooting situation during that timeframe. Being aware, knowing basic principles, and taking action will each go a long way to increase your odds of surviving an active shooting incident. Without any further ado, let's dive into the top twenty one lessons that will enable you to survive an active shooter scenario.

This book describes and explains strategies we can employ to reduce the threat of active shooter incidents, especially in businesses and schools, where 70% of active shooter incidents occur.

COMMUNICATING IN R!SK, CRISIS, AND HIGH STRESS SITUATIONS LEARN THE UNIFYING PRINCIPLES BEHIND RISK, CRISIS, AND HIGH STRESS COMMUNICATION WITH THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART REFERENCE WRITTEN BY A MAJOR LEADER IN THE FIELD Communicating in Risk, Crisis, and High Stress Situations: Evidence-Based Strategies and Practice is about communicating with people in the most challenging circumstances: high stress situations characterized by high risks and high stakes. The ability to communicate effectively in a high stress situation is an essential communication competency for managers, engineers, scientists, and professionals in every field who can be thrust into demanding situations complicated by stress. Whether you are confronting an external crisis, an internal emergency, or leading organizational change, this book was written for you. Communicating in Risk, Crisis, and High Stress Situations brings together in one resource proven scientific research with practical, hands-on guidance from a world leader in the field. The book covers such critical topics as trust, stakeholder engagement, misinformation, messaging, and audience perceptions in the context of stress. This book is uniquely readable, thorough, and useful, thanks to features that include: Evidence-based theories and concepts that underlie and guide practice Tools and guidelines for practical and effective planning and application Experience-based advice for facing challenges posed by mainstream and social media Provocative case studies that bring home the key principles and strategies Illuminating case diaries that use the author’s breadth and depth of experience to create extraordinary learning opportunities The book is a necessity for managers, engineers, scientists, and others who must communicate difficult technical concepts to a concerned public. It also belongs on the bookshelves of leaders and communicators in public and private sector organizations looking for a one-stop reference and evidence-based practical guide for communicating effectively in emotionally charged situations. Written by a highly successful academic, consultant, and trainer, the book is also designed as a resource for training and education.

According to Pinkerton—the leading provider of risk management services in the world—workplace violence is second only to cybersecurity as the top threat faced by organizations today. Incidents involving active shooters in the workplace are on the rise and becoming more violent and deadly. Active Shooter provides the tools necessary to identify potential violent individuals, along with the options and responses needed to save lives, reduce corporate liability, and recover from an active shooter event should it happen. Active Shooter begins with a brief history of active shooters and how they have changed over time. It shows why many perpetrators initiate attacks, what they often are thinking, and some of the indicators that could have been identified prior to the attack. The book shows how to develop an active shooter program in an organization, walking readers through the entire process including training exercises to test the efficiency of the program. With the uniquely private security perspective, Active Shooter illustrates how to communicate with law enforcement, government agencies, and the media in the event of active shooter incident. The book concludes with a discussion of how organizations can recover promptly after an incident, which is crucial for operational survival. Illustrates what businesses should consider prior to, during, and after an active shooting event, including developing business continuity plan Demonstrates the importance of preparedness, an effective coordinated response, and planning all the way down to the frontline employee Addresses the private sector and public sector coordination efforts needed for an effective active shooter program Offers teaching and learning tools such as text boxes, end-of-chapter discussion questions, lists of key DHS, FBI and FEMA websites and resources, as well as training exercises and case studies

"Active Shooter Response Training, 2nd Edition, provides expanded and updated training in the skills police officers need to respond successfully to any active shooter situation. Gun violence is on the increase, from hate crimes like the murders at Mother Emmanuel or the Tree of Life Synagogue to the recent attacks in schools and on country music venues in Las Vegas and Thousand Oaks, CA. Officers must be trained to respond quickly and appropriately to the gunman and to those injured or traumatized in the attack. This field manual addresses all facets of preparation and response, from complex logistical organization to collective and individual tactics, as well as special units or special skills tasks. Based on time-tested military training doctrine, the program described here offers a template for agencies of all sizes to offer effective training that utilizes the time officers have available. Hyderkhan, now with a wide range of expert contributors, covers all aspects of the active shooter response (ASR) mission, from risk analysis to logistical planning for mass casualty events, including medical care and evacuation, reunification procedures, and post-incident investigation. Active Shooter Response Training, 2nd Edition, provides the tools needed to prevent or mitigate tragedy in our communities, including a training video and PowerPoint slides. This book is directed to law enforcement agencies, training organizations, individual trainers, police leaders,and individual officers, both international and domestic. It has some potential as recommended readying in policing courses at the community college and university level"