Active Shooter Response Guide
Do you know what to do if found in the middle of an active shooter incident?
There are three main actions you can take
Run
If you can escape safely, RUN! It is important when out in public to take notice of where your closest exits are.
Hide
If escape is not an option, HIDE! Find solid objects to hide behind. If possible, find a safe room and barricade yourself. Close blinds, turn off lights, silence cell phones and get as close to the floor as you can. Give the impression the room is empty and unoccupied.
Fight
If running or hiding is not an option, your last resort may be FIGHT! Working together or alone, use aggression and improvised weapons to fight off and disable the shooter.
When Law Enforcement Arrives
IMPORTANT: How you respond to approaching police is as critical as how you respond to the shooter! Police are entering a very chaotic scene and have no idea who the shooter might be!
-
When law enforcement reaches you, do not run at them or make sudden movements.
-
The priority of the first responders will be to identify the shooter. Law enforcement will need to ensure that you are not the shooter.
-
Do not scream, yell, point, or wave your arms.
-
Do not hold anything in your hands that could be mistaken for a weapon (including cell phones).
-
Be quiet and compliant.
-
Show the officers your empty hands and follow their instructions.
-
Give the number of shooters.
-
Give the location and physical description of the shooter.
-
Give the number and types of weapons.
-
When it is safe to do so, you will be given instructions as to how to safely exit your location.
More Resources
Shots Fired on Campus
A training video designed to empower people with knowledge and strategies for preventing and surviving an active shooter situation.
I Watch Texas
Community Reporting System website where you can report suspicious activities or behaviors that may indicate criminal, terroristic, or school safety-related threats.