– If evacuation is not possible, you should find a place to hide where the active shooter is less likely to find you. Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors. Use heavy items to barricade yourself if possible. And, remember to remain quiet and silence your cell phone or pager.
– As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, you should attempt to incapacitate the shooter by acting with physical aggression and throwing items at the active shooter. And, call 911 when it is safe to do so.
– If you are a manager or uniformed official, employees and customers are likely to follow your lead. So, it’s essential that you remain calm and take immediate action. The key is to be aware of your environment and any possible dangers.
However, if you do need to respond, remember: try to evacuate. If you cannot evacuate, then hide. As a last resort, take action.
How To Keep Yourself Safe While Hiding
If the active shooter is nearby:
Lock the door.
Silence your cell phone and/or pager. (Even the vibration setting can give away a hiding position.)
Hide behind large items (i.e., cabinets, desks).
Remain quiet.
Consider the difference between cover and concealment. Cover will protect from gunfire and concealment will merely hide you from the view of the shooter. Choose the best space that is available quickly.
When Evacuation and Hiding Are Not Possible
When possible, provide the following information to law enforcement officers or 911 operators:
Location of the active shooter.
Number of shooters, if more than one.
Physical description of the shooter(s).
Number and type of weapons held by the shooter(s).
Number of potential victims at the location.
“It’s not just a church. It’s also a symbol … of black freedom,” said Robert Greene, who studies the 20th century South at the University of South Carolina. “That’s why so many folks are so upset tonight, because it’s a church that represents so much about the rich history and tradition of African Americans in Charleston.”
“That church has a legacy, and it won‘t be destroyed because of this,” Mr. Singleton, the church’s former pastor said, firmly.
UPDATE: Charleston Church Shooting Killer Captured was originally published on blackdoctor.org
