Response to Active Shooter Events Presented by J. Pete Blair, Ph.D. Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Texas State University

Outline Disaster Response Psychology Defining and Identifying Active Shooter Events (ASE) Civilian ASE Response Policy

The background science of how people behave in high stress events Disaster Response The background science of how people behave in high stress events

Three Stages of Disaster Response Denial Deliberation Decisive Moment Ripley, A. (2008). The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes And Why. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Denial When in a disaster, many people do not admit that is a disaster or underestimate the severity It is common for people to delay taking action This delay costs time and lives So why do people do it? Normalcy Bias Social Proof

Denial Normalcy Bias We expect things to be like they always are A new situation is not expected The brain will first try to describe the new situation as a normal one It takes time and data for the brain to recognize that we are not in a normal situation

Denial Social Proof (also linked to diffusion of responsibility) In novel or ambiguous situations we look to others for information on how to act If others are doing nothing, you will tend to do nothing If others are acting, you will tend to act

Denial/Deliberation

Deliberation Once people have moved past the denial phase, they enter the deliberation phase You must decide what to do This is a problem Your brain is probably not functioning well because of the stress

Deliberation: Your Brain C System X System RefleCtive Thinking brain Flexible Rational Slow RefleXive Reacting Brain Fixed Emotional Fast

Deliberation Stress Response Physiology Adrenaline is dumped into the bloodstream Heart and breathing rates increase Blood is shunted to the large muscles and essential organs Cortisol is dumped into the blood – constricts blood vessels Blood pressure spikes You are stronger, faster, and will bleed less

Deliberation Stress Response Side Effects Your C brain is seriously impaired Vision narrows Auditory exclusion Time distortion

Deliberation When your C system is shut down, you are left with your X system The default X system responses are Fight Flight Freeze These are pretty good responses – but unfocused

Deliberation

Deliberation

Deliberation So what do we do? Keep your C system functioning longer Try to calm yourself Combat breathing Shift your emotion Use your C system to program your X system Think through likely events and responses to them before a disaster Practice your actions

Decisive Moment Once a decision is made It is time to act So act! – With purpose!

Active Shooter Events

Active Shooter Event Definition An active shooter event involves one or more persons engaged in killing or attempting to kill multiple people in an area occupied by multiple unrelated individuals.

The Shooter There is no set “Profile” Mindset Deliberate, Focused, Uncaring - Detached Coward - Bully Many kill themselves when confronted by the police

Characteristics of AS Situations Event happens quickly Can happen anywhere Post offices Businesses Schools Military bases Churches Hospitals

Signs of an ASE Hear or see gunshots Bodies on the floor / bloodied victims Lot of yelling, screaming, praying, disbelief, denial People running and hiding

Fort Hood, TX (2009) 1 Shooter 12 Killed 31 Injured

Reliable Metals, AL (2009) 1 Shooter Started by killing his family Went mobile shooting random people Ended up at his former employer Committed suicide 10 Dead

Edmond, OK Post Office (1986) Postal Employee Killed 14 Wounded 6 Killed Himself

Columbine Video – 13 Killed – 21 Wounded

Mumbai – at least 172 Killed

Number of Deaths The number of deaths is affected by two factors How quickly the police respond How quickly the shooter can find victims ALERRT trains police how to respond quickly We are training you now to slow the rate at which the shooter can find victims

Response

Denial Need to get past this phase as quickly as possible If you hear gunshots of something that could be gunshots, act as if it is an active shooter Go straight to deliberation

Deliberation 3 options based upon 2 of the X system basic responses Flight Avoid Deny Fight Defend Freeze – Always the wrong choice

Deliberation The event will happen very quickly You will not have time to develop new plans You must plan in advance If you do not have a plan beforehand the delay in deciding what to do may cost you and others their lives Failure to plan is planning to fail

Deliberation The Basic Plan Avoid the confrontation Deny access to your location Defend yourself

Avoid Be vigilant/aware Know escape routes for your location Exits Windows Stairwells Decide to leave at the first opportunity and report

Deny Lock doors Barricade access points Door stops Furniture Rope doors closed Cover interior windows Darken the room Go back into Avoid mode Need to add more options to this based on age of students. Grade school kids vs college students. Give teachers options and ideas

Defend The Active Shooter is trying to kill you! If you can’t flee, you must fight! Use a “pack” mentality Swarm the shooter Do not stop Use whatever weapons you have Attack weak spots (Throat, eyes, groin)

Defend Get as close as you can to the access point before the shooter enters Try to get a hold of the gun and get it pointed away from people

Defend Hiding There are very few things that will stop a bullet in most locations Still think we need to talk about the difference between rifles and pistols and bullets

Defend Have a survivor’s (not a victim’s) mindset Decide right now that your are going to do whatever it takes to survive Getting shot does not mean that you are dead The fact that you are still alive after the impact means that there is a good chance you will survive You can and must keep going!

People Shot and Killed at VT Room 206 – The shooting started here. Shooter walked in and started killing people. He left and returned later to shoot more people. Room 211 – Teacher heard shots told student to call 911. Students attempted to block door with desk. The shooter pushed his way in, shot the professor and walked down the aisle killing students. The shooter returned later and shot more students. Room 207 – Second room attacked. Shooter walked in and shot several students and the teacher. He then walked down the aisles shooting students. The shooter left. Shooter attempted to return. Students used their bodies to barricade the door. Shooter got door 1 inch open. Also fired several shots into the door knob area. No one was hit by these shots. Room 204 – Professor Liviu Librescu (a holocaust survivor), held the door shut when the shooter tried to enter. Librescu yelled at his students to jump out of the windows. Shooter shot Librescu through the door, killing him. 10 students made it out of the windows before shooter got in. Two more were shot trying to get out (both survived). Of the 6 who did not get out, 4 were shot and one of those shot died. Room 205. Students heard the shots and used their their feet to keep the door closed. The shooter pushed on and fired through the door, but never gained entry.

When Police Arrive Uniformed and plain clothes – multiple agencies Primary Goal – Stop the Killing Priority of work Find and confront the shooter Will NOT stop to help the wounded Will NOT escort people out Help the wounded Clear people from the building

When the Police Arrive Understanding the POLICE point of view The situation will be chaotic They do not know who is a victim or suspect They will treat everyone as a suspect until proven otherwise Officers will be experiencing high stress, just like you

When the Police Arrive Respond Appropriately Follow commands (You might be handcuffed) Keep your hands visible at all times and show your palms Do not move or move slowly if you must

Personnel Issues This will be a traumatic event Expect mental trauma Shock Nightmares PTSD Survivor’s guilt You need a critical incident stress management plan

Policy

Model ASE Policy Our organization places the highest priority on the preservation of the lives of our employees and customers. If an active shooter event should occur, our employees shall use the Avoid, Deny, Defend model. If it is safe for them to do so, employees should exit the facility immediately to AVOID the shooter(s). If employees are unable to safely exit the facility, they should lock themselves in their current location and barricade the door to DENY the shooter(s) access. In the event that employees are unable to utilize the AVOID and DENY strategies successfully, they should DEFEND themselves using whatever means are available. Regardless of the option(s) utilized, employees shall call emergency services (911) as soon as it is safe to do so. In the event of an active shooter incident, all employees will be required to undergo mandatory mental health counseling.

Questions? Pete Blair, Ph.D. blair@alerrt.org or jpeteblair@gmail.com