By Bill Fearon, The Shooting Channel
The term “Active Shooter” is one that will get immediate coverage from all news and cable networks across the nation. It is a term that will send chills down people’s spines because we immediately associate active shooter with a school shooting or where innocent people are targeted.
Since the Columbine shooting law enforcement has taken great steps to prepare against active shooters. The frontline police officer has received training and equipment that was only reserved for SWAT teams, and the methods of response has changed from setting up a perimeter to making active entry to hunt the shooter down. Even with all this focus on active shooting incidents we find that these events are still happening.
Why they happen and the reasons or motives are not important when the bullets are flying. What can we do to protect ourselves becomes invaluable during an active shooter situation. If you happen to be lucky enough to live in a state that enables you to carry a weapon, or if you are in law enforcement, then carry your weapon!
There is no time to talk or reason with an active shooter. If you are armed, you must act. You can deal with police far more effectively if you’re alive.
The shooter is looking for targets and targets are people that are running away screaming and cowering for help. A target is not someone that is going to shoot back, take a position of cover or a position of tactical advantage and present effective rounds on the active shooter.
Whether we are able to carry a weapon or not we must always have a heightened sense of situational awareness. This happens through constantly looking around and assessing your situation. Even before we leave the house do we have items that can help us; a weapon, ammo, extra ammo, a knife, a flashlight, a medical kit and a cell phone?
When you are out your first priority is to get home safely. While we are out in society we need to be always looking around and knowing our escape routes to avoid any high risk situations.
When the worst-case scenario does happen the first thing that we want to do is get out. Secure your family and get them out of the area to a safe location; that is most important and that is the ultimate reason for us to get home.
If escape is not possible then secure your position. Either a locked room or locked store will do and get out of sight behind cover. Remember, the shooter is looking for easy targets so he can get a high body count. He will not spend time trying to break in to secure locations. The shooter knows that the police are coming and he has limited time to cause damage.
Historically the active shooter is a coward that when faced with armed return fire will commit suicide, but you cannot rely on this.
Historically, the shooter will take his own life as the police are making entry to the facility.
During a worst-case scenario where you must engage, understand that the shooter is suicidal which also means he is homicidal. Do not waste time trying to talk him down. You are only engaging to defend yourself, your family and innocent third party victims. If the shooting stops because you were the hero remember that the cops are coming so your hands should be up; drop or holster your weapon and you want to verbalize to police that you are not a threat to them.
As a law abiding citizen I know that you will want to explain in great detail what happened to the police but I would suggest that the only words to say would be, “I want a lawyer.”
One of the biggest oxymorons in today’s society is the term “gun free zone.” I often fight with school administrators and politicians over these gun free zones. I hear the argument that cops in schools are over the top and the children should not see guns to which I answer back as politely as I can, “COPS ARE THE GOOD GUYS!”.
Gun free zones create targets and the people that look to set them up are either uneducated or have been living under a rock when it comes to the history of active shooter incidents.
Bill Fearon
Mr. Fearon is also the lead instructor for GUN FOR HIRE in Woodland Park, New Jersey. also provide tactical training and is currently the lead instructor for GUN FOR HIRE at the Woodland Park Range in Woodland Park New Jersey. http://gunforhire.com – (973)464-7796 cell – bf1490@gmail.com
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