Facing and surviving an active shooter situation will probably be the most traumatic life event for most involved. The entire event and its aftermath will have life-long effects which should be prepared for in much the same way as preparing for the incident itself. The first step is to identify and be ready for the actions and procedures survivors will experience after the shooting has stopped, starting with the law enforcement response and interaction all the way through the emotional toll possibly for years to come. Knowing what to expect and why it happens will help in dealing with the trauma.  

  Law Enforcement Response

Many aspects of the law enforcement response to active shooters are confusing to the lay person until they are explained. As indicated in the first two Standing Tall articles on this subject, the initial response changed considerably after the Columbine incident and now focusses on rapid intervention, that is, seeking out the shooter to stop the killing as quickly as possible. This means many other aspects of first responder actions, actions we might normally expect, are subordinated to this priority. Victims, including the injured, are not the priority and will be bypassed until the shooter, or shooters, have been stopped. Rescue medics may not be allowed into the scene until it is deemed safe. At this point, the best an injured person should expect is a wound dressing or torniquet thrown to them, so it could be a life saver to know how to use them.

Responding officers dressed in tactical gear with rifles may appear frightening and some victims have mistaken them for the shooters who may dress similarly. At the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, officers entering rooms found victims motionless, apparently lifeless but who were just too afraid to respond to officer's calls. The officers, also with highly charged emotions, may be screaming instructions which can add to the overall fear and confusion as they attempt to gain control of the situation. Look for identifying insignia such as badges or the word 'POLICE' or 'SHERIFF' on their vests or helmets to be sure of their identity. Individuals not complying quickly enough or frozen in place may be manhandled, even placed in restraints, to ensure their compliance and, ultimately, their safety. Remember, just because law enforcement has been in and given some instructions does not mean you are out of danger. Continue to remain aware of the surroundings and be prepared to take further action if needed.

Depending on the information law enforcement has at this time, survivors may be told to stay where they are and barricade or to leave by a directed route and exit point. Law enforcement may direct the immediate occupants of a room to line up on one of the walls, search them and then move them to a different wall. All instructions, no matter how confusing or seemingly non-sensical, must be followed immediately without question. When told to leave, follow the below basic rules:

• Move along the directed route to the exit point, do not deviate unless you must. Expect to face law enforcement shouting instructions and pointing guns.
• Do not try to approach individual law enforcement officers no matter how grateful for being saved. They may consider you a threat.
• Keep your hands up, palms facing out. Do not have your cell phone in your hands, it could be mistaken for a gun. Do not bring bags or back packs.

Very quickly, you will be searched again, maybe after being ordered to lay down and handcuffed again, and questioned about your identity, again. A designated victim area will normally be set up to allow detectives to conduct initial interviews, provide medical aid and render assistance in contacting relatives or friends. If you still have a cell phone, this is the time to use it. If you have any knowledge of what happened, suspect description or concern for someone still unaccounted, tell a police officer.

As soon as the scene is secured and there is no further danger, the location will become a crime scene and access will be severely restricted. It will be weeks, maybe months, before any personal items will be returned and this includes vehicles within the area designated as part of the crime scene.

The Aftermath

The aftermath of an active shooter incident can last a considerable amount of time and be very stressful itself. Once safe from physical danger, individuals caught in an active shooter attack now face an extended period of time dealing with an array of emotions some have never previously experienced. Many will suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, no different than that of combat veterans. Knowing this may make it easier to recognize and treat and will remove the uncertainty about what is happening.

In preparing for this terrible event, individuals must steel themselves for the sights, sounds and smells which may stay with them for a lifetime. Understanding the emotions and their effect is an important step and can be very helpful in dealing with the aftermath. Continued fear of it happening again, feelings of guilt for surviving, constant second guessing your own actions and a realization of the random nature of these kinds of incidents are all normal after the experience. Some suggestions for being better prepared for the range of emotions include but, are not limited to:

• Keep in shape. Physically fit people are not only more capable of climbing out of, running away from and fighting an active shooter, they are generally more capable of dealing with the range of post traumatic incident emotions.
• Talk about the possibility and accompanying details in order to decrease the shock and surprise and allow for a mindset of readiness, even for children.
• Maintain a strong belief system. Studies show people with strong value systems or beliefs fare better than those without in dealing with tragedy. Grief counselors sent to Columbine by the federal government were rejected by the survivors who instead relied on their own tight knit community support network, family and church to get through the grief.

Understand the need to talk about the incident and those who were killed as a natural response to violent death. People need to make sense of the attack, even though it probably does not exist but, it can be a huge mistake to talk about the incident too soon or to people with an agenda, such as the press. An inadvertent or seemingly innocent comment may end up causing problems later, such as increased pain to a family who lost a loved one or focusing blame on an innocent party.

Stay away from talking to the media as they cannot be trusted to report honestly anymore. Statements will be used without context, sinister motives will be attributed to honest mistakes and straightforward comments will be twisted to suit the narrative. Always looking for the sensational, the press will swoop at a time when emotions are raw. Statements like "…I wished I'd had my gun…" or "…people like these don't deserve to live…" will be twisted to make the victim the guilty party and the shooter the disadvantaged minority with no other redress for perceived grievances. In the same way the media cannot be trusted to report honestly, they cannot be trusted to be factual. In all emergency situations, the first reports are mostly incorrect but the media still reports this information leading to unnecessary suffering and erroneous assumptions.

Additionally, if there are any potential liability issues down the road, statements made under high emotional stress will still be available and could be used against the you. Remember, the more you put yourself out there, the more people will question your motives and intent. Golden rule, do not talk to the press, ever!

Even though it may seem as a case of closing the barn door… there are some practical issues to be considered in the aftermath of an active shooter incident. Businesses and schools must not discount the possibility of a copy-cat attack and should increase security and preparedness were required. An honest assessment of the attack should be made to identify areas where the business or school can improve reaction and response. Training in areas such as first aid and active shooter drills should continue or be introduced.

Some despicable individuals will even try to take advantage of the situation for personal gain. Instances of fake charities and scam artists after Sandy Hook and The Pulse nightclub shooting are well documented. Be careful about requests for money, giving out or permission to use personal information.

Knowledge is power and knowing how the aftermath of these terrible incidents unfolds can give the power to help heal. Preparing with your fellow Wyomingites, whether family, friends or work colleagues will make it easier to deal with these incidents and help us all to remain standing tall in their wake.