Active-shooter instructor: ‘Escape, barricade, fight’
A police officer who trains law enforcement and civilians in active shooter scenarios said three key things to remember are “escape, barricade, fight.”
Fountain Police Office Sean Hartley with its Tactical Enforcement Unit has been an instructor in active-shooter scenarios for 10 years. Hartley said the message for people who find themselves in active-shooter situations has changed over the years.
Before the Columbine High School Shooting in 1999, police encouraged people to find a hiding spot and stay put. However, after the 1999 shooting, the message shifted to make trying to escape the first priority.
Hartley said it’s critical to take a deep breath and think clearly. Then, look for a way to escape. It could be running down the hallway to an emergency exit or jumping out a window. Hartley said the motto instructors try to enforce is “when in doubt, get out.”
If it’s not possible to escape, Hartley said the next thing is to barricade yourself in a hiding spot. He said lock the door, put anything you can in front of the door — chairs, desks, furniture — and turn off the lights. Even still, Hartley said you should continue to think about possible options to escape.
If it’s not possible to run or hide, Hartley said the final option is to fight. He walked around the training room at the Fountain Police Department and pointed to markers, pens, chairs, computers and fire extinguishers that could be used as a weapon.
“There are no rules, you do whatever it takes to win that situation,” said Hartley.
On Friday, police said accused shooter Robert Dear killed three people and injured nine at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs. On Wednesday, police believe three gunmen killed 14 at a social services building inSan Bernardino, California.
Statistics show in the U.S. on average, there is a mass shooting that kills at least four people every 2.9 months. Hartley said people should not live their lives in fear, but everyone should have a plan. He encourages people to take 30 seconds a day when they are at work or at home to run through different scenarios and come up with a plan to respond. He said by doing these visual exercises, it will help people think more clearly and quickly if they are in a mass-shooter scenario.
