Active Shooter: How to Respond

After viewing the below link, all faculty, staff and students should review the below listed guidelines for responding to a situation involving an active shooter on our campus.

Profile of an Active Shooter

• An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. In most cases, active shooters use firearm(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter
  situations are often over within a few minutes, sometimes before law enforcement is able to arrive at the scene.

How to Respond When an Active Shooter is in your Vicinity

1. Evacuate when possible
   • Have an escape route and plan in mind
   • Leave your belongings behind
   • Help others escape, if possible
   • Keep your hands visible and follow the instructions of any police officers
   • Do not attempt to move wounded people
   • Call 911 when you are safe
2. Hide out when necessary
   • Be out of the active shooter’s view
   • Seek protection if you hear shots fired (i.e., walls, doors, closed rooms, large items, etc.)
   • Lock the door
   • Blockade the door with heavy furniture
   • Turn off any source of noise (i.e. radios, televisions, cell phones on silent)
   • Remain quiet and calm
   • Dial 911, if possible, to alert police to the active shooter’s location
   • If you cannot speak, leave the line open and allow the dispatcher to listen
3. Take action against the active shooter if necessary
   • Last resort
   • Attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter
   • Act as aggressively as possible against him/her
   • Throw items and improvise weapons
   • Yell
   • Commit to your actions including disarming shooter

How to Respond When Law Enforcement Arrives

• Law enforcement’s purpose is to stop the active shooter as soon as possible. Officers will proceed directly to the area in which the last shots were heard.
• Remain calm, and follow the officers’ instructions
• Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets, cell phones)
• Immediately raise hands and spread fingers (keep hands visible at all times)
• Avoid making quick movements toward officers

Information to Provide to Law Enforcement or 911 Operator:

• Location of active shooter
• Number of shooters, if more than one
• Physical description of shooter(s)
• Number of potential victims at the location