Active Shooter Active Shooter on Campuson Campus

Training ObjectivesTraining Objectives

Define various shooting situationsDefine various shooting situations List measures that can be employed List measures that can be employed

to reduce the effectiveness of an to reduce the effectiveness of an active shooteractive shooter

Describe actions that can be Describe actions that can be expected from responding law expected from responding law enforcement officersenforcement officers

Safety tipsSafety tips

History of School History of School ShootingsShootings

Hostage and Shooting Hostage and Shooting incidents are not new and incidents are not new and are on the riseare on the rise

Since 1996, there have Since 1996, there have been over 42 incidents of been over 42 incidents of school shootings worldwideschool shootings worldwide Columbine (April, 1999)Columbine (April, 1999) West Nickel Mines Amish West Nickel Mines Amish

School (Oct, 2006)School (Oct, 2006) Virginia Tech (April, 2007)Virginia Tech (April, 2007)

Shooting SituationsShooting Situations

Barricaded SuspectBarricaded Suspect Hostage SituationsHostage Situations Active ShooterActive Shooter

Barricaded SuspectBarricaded Suspect Normally a criminal suspect with known or Normally a criminal suspect with known or

unknown violent potential that has barricaded unknown violent potential that has barricaded themselves alone in a structure and refused to themselves alone in a structure and refused to surrendersurrender

Ample time for detailed planning and Ample time for detailed planning and negotiationsnegotiations

Person(s) are normally armed and there is Person(s) are normally armed and there is potential for a transition to an active shooter potential for a transition to an active shooter or hostage situationor hostage situation

Hostage SituationHostage Situation Similar to barricaded suspect(s) situation with Similar to barricaded suspect(s) situation with

the addition of innocent persons being held the addition of innocent persons being held against their willagainst their will

Provide time for detailed planning and Provide time for detailed planning and negotiationsnegotiations

Hostage situations can develop from active Hostage situations can develop from active shooter situations or have great potential to shooter situations or have great potential to develop into them develop into them

Active ShooterActive Shooter One or more suspect(s) who, as police respond to the scene, One or more suspect(s) who, as police respond to the scene,

are actively killing and/or causing serious, life-threatening are actively killing and/or causing serious, life-threatening bodily injury to multiple victims. The overriding objective of bodily injury to multiple victims. The overriding objective of the suspect(s) appears to be that of mass murder, rather than the suspect(s) appears to be that of mass murder, rather than other criminal conduct such as robbery or hostage-takingother criminal conduct such as robbery or hostage-taking

Threat is not contained and there is immediate risk of death Threat is not contained and there is immediate risk of death and injuryand injury

Considered the greatest threat on campusesConsidered the greatest threat on campuses Leaves Leaves little or no time for proper planninglittle or no time for proper planning and requires law and requires law

enforcement to take immediate actionenforcement to take immediate action These situations can and often develop into hostage situations These situations can and often develop into hostage situations

upon the arrival of law enforcementupon the arrival of law enforcement

Mentality of Active Mentality of Active ShooterShooter

Desire is to kill and seriously injure without Desire is to kill and seriously injure without concern for their safety or threat of captureconcern for their safety or threat of capture

Normally has intended victims and searches Normally has intended victims and searches them outthem out

Accepts targets of opportunity while Accepts targets of opportunity while searching for or after finding intended victimssearching for or after finding intended victims

Will continue to move throughout the Will continue to move throughout the building/area until stopped by law building/area until stopped by law enforcement, suicide, or other interventionenforcement, suicide, or other intervention

Shooters Shooters mentality is not escapementality is not escape. His goal is . His goal is to kill and injureto kill and injure

There is no “typical profile” for active There is no “typical profile” for active shootersshooters

Active Shooter - In Class Active Shooter - In Class or Officeor Office

If you are in a classroom, room, or office STAY If you are in a classroom, room, or office STAY THERE, and secure the doorTHERE, and secure the door

If the door has no lock attempt to block the door If the door has no lock attempt to block the door as much as you can or place a door wedge hard as much as you can or place a door wedge hard under the doorwayunder the doorway

If the door has a window, cover it if you canIf the door has a window, cover it if you can Turn on the lights and silence your phonesTurn on the lights and silence your phones Attempt to rescue others outside should only be Attempt to rescue others outside should only be

made if it can be done without endangering the made if it can be done without endangering the persons inside the secure areapersons inside the secure area

Have someone watch while you get as many Have someone watch while you get as many students out of the windows (ground floor) as students out of the windows (ground floor) as calmly and as quietly as possiblecalmly and as quietly as possible

Have those who get out move toward any police Have those who get out move toward any police unit while keeping hands on top of their heads unit while keeping hands on top of their heads and doing exactly what the Police tell them to doand doing exactly what the Police tell them to do

If no police units are yet on scene move well If no police units are yet on scene move well away from the school and find safe cover away from the school and find safe cover positions (not the parking lots) and wait for the positions (not the parking lots) and wait for the police to arrivepolice to arrive

If the windows don’t open, or you cannot break If the windows don’t open, or you cannot break them, or you are not on a ground floor, get out of them, or you are not on a ground floor, get out of sight from the door and stay low and quietsight from the door and stay low and quiet

Keep others calm and quietKeep others calm and quiet

Active Shooter - In the Active Shooter - In the HallwaysHallways

Get in a room that is not Get in a room that is not already secured and secure italready secured and secure it

Unless you’re close to an Unless you’re close to an exit, don’t run through a long exit, don’t run through a long hall to get to one, you may hall to get to one, you may encounter the gunmen or encounter the gunmen or hostage taker.hostage taker.

Don’t hide in restroomsDon’t hide in restrooms

Active Shooter - In Large Active Shooter - In Large RoomsRooms

If in a gym or theater area If in a gym or theater area and the gunmen or hostage and the gunmen or hostage taker(s) are not present, taker(s) are not present, move to and out the move to and out the external exits and move external exits and move toward any police unittoward any police unit

Again, keeping your hands Again, keeping your hands on your heads. Do what the on your heads. Do what the police tell you!police tell you!

Trapped with GunmenTrapped with Gunmen Don’t do anything to provoke shooterDon’t do anything to provoke shooter If they are not shooting, do what they say and If they are not shooting, do what they say and

don’t move suddenlydon’t move suddenly Only you can draw the line on what you will or Only you can draw the line on what you will or

will not do to preserve your life or the lives of will not do to preserve your life or the lives of othersothers

If shooting starts, you need to make your own If shooting starts, you need to make your own choice, stay still and hope they don’t shoot, run choice, stay still and hope they don’t shoot, run for an exit zig zaging, or attack the shooterfor an exit zig zaging, or attack the shooter This is not a recommendation to fight but rather a This is not a recommendation to fight but rather a

choice to fight where there are no other optionschoice to fight where there are no other options

Contacting Emergency Contacting Emergency PersonnelPersonnel

Emergency 911Emergency 911 SMC Dispatch (310) 434-SMC Dispatch (310) 434-

43004300 What to ReportWhat to Report

Your specific locationYour specific location Number of people at your Number of people at your

specific locationspecific location InjuriesInjuries Assailant information Assailant information

(location, number of (location, number of assailants, race, gender, assailants, race, gender, clothing color and style, clothing color and style, physical features, type of physical features, type of weapons, backpack, have weapons, backpack, have you heard any explosions you heard any explosions separate from gunshots?)separate from gunshots?)

SMCPD RoleSMCPD Role

If an incident occurs on campus, SMC officers If an incident occurs on campus, SMC officers are trained to deal with the situationare trained to deal with the situation

Outside agencies may respond but SMC will Outside agencies may respond but SMC will take charge of the situationtake charge of the situation

Officers Officers primary objectiveprimary objective will be to confront will be to confront the suspect(s) and neutralize the threatthe suspect(s) and neutralize the threat

Police ResponsePolice Response

Law enforcement's goal is to locate, contain, and Law enforcement's goal is to locate, contain, and stop the shooterstop the shooter

Everyone in the building will be considered a suspectEveryone in the building will be considered a suspect When the team of officers makes contact with you, When the team of officers makes contact with you,

do not run towards themdo not run towards them Keep your hands visible and respond to their Keep your hands visible and respond to their

commandscommands Officers will engage with fire, anyone that is armed Officers will engage with fire, anyone that is armed

or moves on them in what can be perceived an or moves on them in what can be perceived an aggressive manneraggressive manner

If you are near the suspects when officers make If you are near the suspects when officers make entry, the best thing to do is drop as low as you can entry, the best thing to do is drop as low as you can and stay there, with your hands visible until the team and stay there, with your hands visible until the team commands you to get up. commands you to get up.

Police Response (cont.)Police Response (cont.)

Injured PersonsInjured Persons Initial responding officers willInitial responding officers will not not treat the injured treat the injured

or begin evacuation until the threat is neutralizedor begin evacuation until the threat is neutralized You will need to explain this to others in an attempt You will need to explain this to others in an attempt

to calm themto calm them Once shooter is contained, officers will begin Once shooter is contained, officers will begin

treatment and evacuationtreatment and evacuation EvacuationEvacuation

Safety corridors will be established. This may be Safety corridors will be established. This may be time consumingtime consuming

Remain in secure areas until instructed otherwiseRemain in secure areas until instructed otherwise You may be searched. Leave your personal You may be searched. Leave your personal

belongings belongings You will be escorted out of the building by law You will be escorted out of the building by law

enforcement personnelenforcement personnel

Safety TipsSafety Tips Whether you are coming to class or Whether you are coming to class or

working on campus, take ownership of working on campus, take ownership of making sure your location is safemaking sure your location is safe

Be aware of your surroundings (e.g. Be aware of your surroundings (e.g. location of exits, doorways, etc…)location of exits, doorways, etc…)

Report suspicious persons to SMCPD Report suspicious persons to SMCPD immediatelyimmediately

Program SMCPD dispatch (310) 434-Program SMCPD dispatch (310) 434-4300 in your cell phone (911 calls from 4300 in your cell phone (911 calls from cell phones go to CHP Dispatch)cell phones go to CHP Dispatch)

Be aware of the red campus emergency Be aware of the red campus emergency phones phones

Pay phones have direct line to SMCPDPay phones have direct line to SMCPD Awareness, Preparation, RehearsalAwareness, Preparation, Rehearsal

Closing ThoughtsClosing Thoughts

We can no longer predict the origin of the We can no longer predict the origin of the next threatnext threat

Assailants in some recent incidents across Assailants in some recent incidents across the country were not students or employeesthe country were not students or employees

There are no obvious specific targets and the There are no obvious specific targets and the victims were unaware they were targets, until victims were unaware they were targets, until attackedattacked

Discussion and Discussion and QuestionsQuestions

SMC Police DepartmentSMC Police Department1718 Pearl Street1718 Pearl Street

Santa Monica, CA 90405Santa Monica, CA 90405(310) 434-4300(310) 434-4300

Reproduced with permission by the UCLA Police Department