An active shooter, sometimes referred to as a hostile intruder, is an individual actively engaged in physical violence or killing of people in a confined and populated area by any means including but not limited to firearms (most frequently used), bladed weapons, vehicles, or any tool being used in a manner that constitutes deadly physical force. In most cases, there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Most active shooter situations are uncertain and dynamic meaning they tend to be unpredictable, quickly evolving, and are over within minutes.
The purpose of this article is to raise awareness on the importance of having an established active shooter program. Given the nature and unpredictability of these events, nearly every business benefits from doing so. Moreover, a quality program will adopt two plans instead of one as there are significant differences in how we should respond to incidents in our general area versus those occurring on-site at one of your facilities.