Introduction: What is an Active Shooter?
Active shooter incidents are a type of mass shooting that includes an armed person who shoots four or more people in a public place.
An active shooter is someone who opens fire on people where they work, study, shop, worship, and conduct government business.
Active shooter incidents are a type of mass shooting that includes an armed person who shoots four or more people in a public place. These shooters typically kill and injure as many people as possible before fleeing the area. Some shootings happen on purpose and others by accident; however, the intent to harm goes beyond these misunderstandings and encompasses individuals with mental health issues and those seeking retribution for some perceived wrongdoing.
No specific profile for the person who commits this crime exists; however, most active shooters are male (90% or higher) Caucasian.
Active Shooters in the United States
Active shooter incidents in the United States have become more common than ever before. Since 2000, active shooter incidents have risen by an average of 400%. These shootings happen for a variety of reasons and take place in various settings.
The FBI defines an active shooter as someone who is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines these events as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people, typically with firearms, within a 24-hour period.”
What are the Signs for an Active Shooter?
Active shooter situations do not always have the same signs. For example, some will yell their intentions while others may not.
The signs for an active shooter are usually loud noises, gunfire, people running in fear, and/or the sound of breaking glass coming from all around.
When you hear these noises but cannot see what is happening, take cover in a secure location or run away from the area if it is safe to do so.
How do you Survive an Active Shooting?
Active shootings are a major threat to society.
This has led to many people wondering what they should do when faced with one of these events.
The best way to survive an active shooting is to be prepared and stay calm.
The best thing that you can do is know where all exits and entrances are in your place of employment or school.
If you know that there is a shooter nearby, then you should evacuate the area and go home right away. If possible, avoid public places and try to hide from the shooter in a small room or closet
If you find yourself in an active shooting situation, then your main goal should be to stay alive
Try not to panic – doing so will only make the situation worse for everyone involved
Reasons for a Shooting?
The top three reasons for shootings are:
– Mental illness
– Sudden impulse
– The desire to kill a large number of people.
Conclusion – How to Prevent Mass Shootings and Active Shooters so People Live Safely
There are methods to decrease the chances of a shooting happening. The best prevention is early access to mental health care, which can be done by providing it from the elementary school level on up. This way there will be fewer students that need treatment later in life. There should also be increased gun control and more security measures in public buildings such as schools and offices. Lastly, there should be more active shooter drills so that if an emergency does happen, people know what to do.
Would you like to learn more about how to protect yourself, your organization, and your customers from an active shooting incident? View a free demonstration of our Active Shooting Incident training course.
