Surviving an Active Shooter

[SC1903A3]

With all the talk on the news about active shooters I did a search for what was floating around on the subject. I found this article written Last November which everone might find usefull.

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/11648958/1 ... hooter.pdf

[dcphoto]

I haven't read that article yet, but surviving an active shooter is simple.

#1 - Put as much space (flee) between you and the shooter as possible. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

#2 - If unable to flee, make yourself as small and difficult to see/reach as possible. This encompasses barricading in a room. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

#3 - Surrender is an option, but only if there is an extremely good chance of survival by surrendering. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

#4 - If you still find yourself confronted with a deadly threat, despite #1, #2, and #3 then respond with deadly force. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

#4a - Remember, you should have had your gun, but if for some reason (school, 30.06, etc.) you don't have access you can still defend yourself. You have a knife and know how to use it, right? If not, kick, punch, bite, scratch, attempt to disarm, no holds barred. I'll say it again: no holds barred, go for the groin, eyes, and throat immediately! Fashion a weapon from what is around you if you have to, but DON'T GIVE UP.

If you think this seems simplistic, it is. You have no control over where and when you will encounter an active shooter. Your plan needs to be simple and flexible so you can adapt it to the situation and surroundings.

[RoyGBiv]

Decent article... Thanks for posting..

-- Do not pursue, take cover and plan to ambush if necessary...

[RiverCity.45]

Hmm. I wonder how many other people would have died in Tucson if people had done that, instead of tackling the shooter and preventing him from reloading?

[stroo]

I don't really see surrender as an option with an active shooter. It seems me to surrender equals giving yourself up to be slaughtered.

[KD5NRH]

#1 - Put as much space (flee) between you and the shooter as possible. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

Make sure to run at least 3500fps to reduce the chance of simply being shot in the back while retreating.

#2 - If unable to flee, make yourself as small and difficult to see/reach as possible. This encompasses barricading in a room. This applies equally if you are wounded or not.

So what does TX law say about concealed carry of a properly Federally papered destructive device?

[gigag04]

In one of my active shooter training classes we watched an edited columbine video where they they take the audio from the 911 tapes from the shooters and acted out actions to go with the audio. It was edited into a security type footage, and it was CREEEEEPY.

I'm not surrendering, nor am I waiting for backup. Ambush and use hair, teeth, and eyeballs, whatever it takes. Odds are I'll have a gun but you never know.

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

I'm not surrendering, nor am I waiting for backup. Ambush and use hair, teeth, and eyeballs, whatever it takes. Odds are I'll have a gun but you never know.

In an active shooter you will NOT survive surrendering. Thats why its called active shooter...they are actively shooting people.

Your best two options are to create distance or ambush/attack (not necessarily in that order).

[The Annoyed Man]

Our moderator Excaliber is the proprietor of Excaliber Security Services, a corporate and enterprise security consultancy, and his website (which I had a hand in developing) has some useful information about Active Shooter scenarios. He also holds seminars about the same....

http://excalibersecurityservices.com/pr ... urces.html

...We are fortunate to have his input here on this forum.

[flintknapper]

Our moderator Excaliber is the proprietor of Excaliber Security Services, a corporate and enterprise security consultancy, and his website (which I had a hand in developing) has some useful information about Active Shooter scenarios. He also holds seminars about the same....

http://excalibersecurityservices.com/pr ... urces.html

...We are fortunate to have his input here on this forum.

Thank you for that link and information.

We are indeed fortunate to have him as a member here. His experience and advice are invaluable.

He represents one of two members....whose posts I always seek out...and find myself agreeing with 90+ percent of the time. Always informative, well thought out and presented in a way that all can understand.

[KD5NRH]

Your best two options are to create distance or ambush/attack (not necessarily in that order).

Well, unless your CC is an 03A3, in which case that order works quite well. ;)

I think I'll go get some more practice on 50+ yard shots with my handguns once the weather warms up. It's far from the most likely situation to require a gun, but it's getting too common to ignore.

[billfromtx]

I would try to close the distance and do everything with in my power to eliminate the threat with out getting my fool head shot off.. Maybe its the Marine in me but I refuse to leave innocent people in that situation.
Im not a hero and Im not an internet tough guy. But I do know what I would do, or die trying.

[jordanmills]

#1: shoot him first

I'm just sayin'

[Pug]

Our moderator Excaliber is the proprietor of Excaliber Security Services, a corporate and enterprise security consultancy, and his website (which I had a hand in developing) has some useful information about Active Shooter scenarios. He also holds seminars about the same....

http://excalibersecurityservices.com/pr ... urces.html

...We are fortunate to have his input here on this forum.

Good stuff there...

[johnson0317]

I am not trying to be quarrlesome, but if you believe steps one through three are good advice, then please don't carry a gun. If you let an active shooter kill anyone past the point you could have stopped him, then you condemn yourself. You will have to live with the knowledge that you were carrying a gun, and chose to run away rather than trying to end the situation. Yes, you may end up getting shot, end up dying...but chances are you will anyway if you follow those steps.

Good advice may be to try to find concealment or, even better, cover. You will have a few precious seconds to decide how you are going to handle it. Pray God you have your gun with you. If not, Pray God you can find some way to take the shooter down.

Honesty time here. I do not know how I would react in an active shooter situation. I might turn tail and run, or I may play dead, or I may hide under a table. I hope not, but I honestly do not know. I have been in dangerous situations, including one where the other person placed their hand in their jacket and asked me if I wanted to get shot. This was in the early 90s and there was no concealed carry option. I was outside the safe boundaries of the West End, in Dallas. The guy and his friend walked out of a bar and diverted directly towards me and my friend. He yelled for us to stop. I told my friend to keep walking back towards the safe zone. He then asked me if I wanted to get shot. I told him that, indeed, I did not want to get shot, and kept walking. He kept saying he was going to shoot. I finally told him to produce the weapon...he did not. In that case, because there was about 100 feet between me and this guy (and his friend), I told my friend to take off for all she was worth, and I followed. His laughter still rings in my ears. I don't think he had a gun, and I think he knew he had some dumb bunny in his part of town. My mistake. If I had been carrying? I still would have run. I instinctively felt he did not have a gun. If I had taken that 35 yard shot, and killed him, and he did not have a gun...I would probably still be sitting in jail.

So, not trying to say you are a bad person for posting the steps you would take; I am only saying I "think", I "believe" I would do it differently.

RJ