Campus Emergency Procedures - Active Shooter Guide

 

Active Shooter Defined - This situation is a barricaded suspect(s) or an outdoor movement situation where the suspect(s) is actively discharging a firearm at Law Enforcement or Community members and or randomly firing into an area where it is reasonably expected that persons could be struck by the suspect(s) fire. 

These situations leave little or no time for proper planning and normally require first arriving Law Enforcement units to take immediate action to end the danger. 

In the event of an active shooter incident on campus, the Shelter-in-Place Procedure may be implemented for the campus.  The information below provides guidelines for active shooter incidents. 

1.  In a classroom, residence hall, or office

•  If you are in a classroom, room or office, STAY THERE, secure the door.
• If the door has no lock and the door opens in, a good heavy door wedge can be kept on hand and driven in as hard as you can, otherwise look for heavy furniture to barricade the door.
•  If the door has a window, cover it if you can.  Depending on the gunman’s location, consideration may also be made to exit through window openings. Have someone watch as you get as many students out of the windows (ground floor) as calmly and as quietly as possible
• If no Police units are yet on scene move well away from the incident and find safe cover positions (not the parking lots) and wait for the police to arrive.
• If officers arrive on scene, community members should get out and move toward any Police vehicle when safe to do so while keeping their hands on top of their head and do exactly and immediately what the Police tell you to do.
•  Do not leave the area entirely, you may have information that responding Police Officers will need. Once in a safe place stay put.
• If the windows do not open, or you cannot break them, or you are not on a ground floor, get out of sight from the door and stay low and quiet.

2.  In hallways or corridors

• If in the hallways, get in a room that is not already secured and secure it.  Unless you are very close to an exit, do not run through a long hall to get to one, you may encounter the gunman or hostage taker. Do not hide in restrooms!

3.  In large rooms or auditoriums

• If in a gym or theater area and the gunman or hostage taker/s are not present, move to and out the external exits and move toward any police unit. Again keeping your hands on your head. Do what the police tell you!

4.  Trapped with the gunman

• If you are trapped, do not do anything to provoke the gunman. If no shooting is occurring, do what the gunman says and do not move suddenly. Only you can draw the line on what you will or will not do to preserve your life or the lives of others.
• If the gunman does start shooting people, you need to make a choice, (at this point it is your choice) stay still and hope they do not shoot you, run for an exit while zigzagging, or even attack the shooter. This is very dangerous, but certainly no more then doing nothing and dying in place. A moving target is much harder to hit than a stationary one and the last thing that the shooter will expect is to be attacked by an unarmed person. Any option chosen may still result in a negative consequence.
• Again this is not a recommendation to attack the shooter but rather a choice to fight when there is no other option.  

5.   Open Spaces

• Stay alert and look for appropriate cover locations. Brick walls, large trees, retaining walls, parked vehicles and any other object which may stop firearm ammunition penetration, may be utilized as cover.

These safety tips and guidelines are not all inclusive, but if understood and followed up with periodic reminders and training when feasible, it can increase your chances of surviving an active shooter incident.

 (UCLA guidelines used as basis.)

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Last Modified: 08/28/2007