School safety, security, and violence prevention resource

PART III.  STOPPING THE ACTIVE SHOOTER BEFORE HE LIGHTS YOU UP.

 

Okee-dokie.  Part III.  The Classroom Strategy.  We’re talking either a deranged student(s), or an outside intruder(s) with guns.  Columbine Reprised, if you will.  Nothing covert about this attack.  Guns are out and he/she or they are either about to storm into your classroom and unleash Hell, or he/she/they have already shot up half the damned school and your room is next on the menu.

 

Now might not be a half-bad time to ask yourself the question:  What will you and the rest of your class DO?

 

I think I know the answer.  What do you think?

 

1. Huddling together in the back of the room?  Probably the last thing you will hear the maniac say before he takes you the hell out of here is, “Hey, thank you, Dude and Dudette.”  Cause you just made it easier for the single minded asshole.

2.     What about finding a hiding place and huddling there saying your prayers?  Which, by the way, has been tried in damned near every terrorist situation I know of.  Your survival depends upon the shooter running out of time and/or bullets.

 

1. What about not playing into the psycho’s single-minded, catatonic, obsessive compulsive mind set?  What about fracturing the crap out of his/her’s fantasy script, confusing him, slowing him down and taking control of the scenario?

 

BINGO!

 

The first two responses you see above have one advantage:  They require no plan and are designed for the individual panic response.  A third advantage is they present an ideal formula for the disturbed shooter, who requires time and “Symettrical Surrender” by his/her intended victims.  That way his rage can build as his script unfurls unimpeded.

 

Response number three requires a plan and it requires some rehearsal, but it might work, if students respond immediately by:

 

• Locking and Blocking.  Do not allow the lunatic inside your classroom.  If you have time (you are informed a shooter has struck already and your class might be next), run some heavy furniture against the frame.

• Charging and Barging.  Your natural instinct will be to huddle, hide and pray.  This is what he wants you to do.  Instead, Charge and Barge.  Throw books and other furnishings at him/her.  Scream.  Deny him the silence and control he craves.  If possible, hold something in front of you like a shield and charge him with a phalanx of teachers, security, students.  Yes, somebody probably will get shot, but you will be wresting psychological and real control from the shooter.  Break his script and confuse him/her.

 

• DISORIENT THE SHOOTER is at the core of my plan.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

 

Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

 

 

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Posted on May 31st, 2009 by Harry A Widger
Filed under: Administrators, College, High School, K-6, Parents, People Involved, School Grade Level, School Safety Issues, Security, Shootings, Students