Surviving an Active Shooter
Although fairly rare on university campuses, incidents involving armed intruders/active shooters do occur on school campuses, in workplaces and in other public places. If a critical incident involving an active shooter occurs on campus, your chances of survival could be significantly enhanced by being aware of the following safety tips:
If Armed Subject Is Outside The Building
- Secure the immediate area/room. Turn off lights and radios, silence cell phones, close and lock all windows and doors, barricade the doors and close the blinds and/or cover the windows.
- Stay calm and quiet.
- If you can do so safely, get on the floor and out of the line of fire.
- If it is safe to do so, move to a core area of the building and remain there until an “all clear” instruction is given by an authorized, known voice. Unknown or unfamiliar voices may be an attempt to trick or mislead you.
If Armed Subject Is Inside Your Building
- If it is possible to flee the area safely and avoid danger, do so. Get as far away from the shooting scene as possible and then call the police.
- If flight is impossible, secure the immediate area as previously stated.
- Stay calm and quiet.
- Get down on the floor or under a desk and out of the line of fire.
- Remain there until the “all clear” instruction is given by an authorized, known voice.
If Armed Subject Enters Your Class/Office
- There is no one procedure authorities can recommend in this situation.
- Stay calm. Don’t let fear paralyze you and don’t make it easy for the armed intruder to injure or kill you.
- Hide or flee if possible.
- Attempts to negotiate with an active shooter will probably be futile. The mentality of an active shooter is to kill and seriously injure others, without concern for his safety or threat of capture.
- Never comply with irrational demands or an irrational person.
- Attempting to overcome the armed subject with force is a tactic that should only be initiated if you feel your personal safety is in danger.
- Turn the element of surprise back on the active shooter. Screaming, scattering in different directions and throwing items (books, backpacks, desks, etc.) at the armed subject can create an atmosphere of chaos, distraction and sensory overload for the armed subject.
- Aggressive action, such as throwing items at or attacking the armed subject in superior numbers, can interrupt the active shooter’s plans and expectations.
- Inaction serves to fuel an active shooter’s need for power and control.
Additional Emergency Management Information
- Additional emergency management information may be obtained from the SIUE Emergency Management and Safety Department’s website at siue.edu/emergencymanagement. Some of the informative links on the Emergency Management and Safety Department’s web page include:
- Campus Violence Prevention Plan – This link provides information on what steps the University takes to identify and respond to potentially violent situations, including the establishment of the Campus Violence Prevention Committee and a Threat Assessment Team.
- Emergency Management Plan – This site explains in general terms how the University will respond to emergency situations.
- Emergency Procedures – This link provides information regarding what action students, staff, faculty and visitors should take when confronting various emergency situations (i.e. earthquake, tornado, active shooter, etc.).
- Emergency Training Videos – Two training videos are available for viewing at this site.
- The “Flash Point” video reviews how the campus community can identify, deal with, and report individuals who are approaching their “flash point”.
- The “Shots Fired on Campus” video provides information on what steps an individual should take when encountering an active shooter situation.
Don’t wait until an active shooter incident occurs to prepare. Prepare for an active shooter incident ahead of time by considering all your options in advance (flee, hide, attack) and mentally rehearsing how you would respond in such an incident. Remember, most active shooter incidents are over by the time police arrive at the scene, so take responsibility for your own safety until help arrives and maintain a “Never Give Up” attitude.
