CIVILIAN & WORKPLACE PREPAREDNESS
Active Shooter
Training
Strategies for personal safety in an active shooter event. Understanding who active shooters are, what the data says, and how to respond — before, during, and after an incident.
What Is an Active Shooter?
The FBI defines an active shooter as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. In most cases, there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.
An active killer is a broader term that includes any individual using any weapon — firearm, edged weapon, vehicle, or explosive — to kill or attempt to kill multiple people in a public space.
A mass casualty incident (MCI) is any event that generates more patients than available resources can immediately manage. Active shooter events are a subset of MCIs and require a coordinated response from both law enforcement and medical personnel.
What the Data Shows
The FBI documented 61 active shooter incidents in the US in 2023 alone.
Commercial properties and educational institutions account for over 70% of all incidents.
The average event lasts 2.5 minutes — far shorter than average law enforcement response times.
61% of incidents end before police arrive, meaning bystander action is often the only option.
Casualties are significantly lower when potential victims are trained to respond.
Workplace violence accounts for a growing share of incidents — making employer-led training critical.
Know the Profile
Understanding who active shooters are and how they behave is the foundation of effective prevention and response.
Typically a current or former employee, student, or someone with a grievance
Usually acts alone — over 98% of incidents involve a single shooter
Often displays warning signs in the days or weeks before the event
Selects locations where victims are concentrated and exits are limited
Stops when confronted — either by law enforcement, an armed citizen, or suicide
Most incidents last under 5 minutes; many end in under 2
Preparation Saves Lives
The time to plan your response is before an incident occurs. Knowing your exits, your options, and your actions in advance dramatically increases your chances of survival.
Know Your Exits
Every time you enter a new space, identify at least two exits. Note which direction they lead and whether they are accessible.
Situational Awareness
Stay alert to your surroundings. Identify potential threats early — unusual behavior, unattended bags, or individuals who seem agitated or out of place.
Mental Rehearsal
Mentally walk through your response options before you need them. Decide in advance what you will do if you hear gunfire — run, hide, or fight.
RUN · HIDE · FIGHT
The DHS-recommended framework for civilian response to an active shooter event. Options are listed in order of preference — always attempt to run first.
If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises regardless of whether others agree to follow.
Have an escape route and plan in mind at all times
Leave your belongings behind — they can be replaced
Help others escape if possible, but do not let them slow you down
Keep your hands visible when exiting the building
Call 911 once you are safe
If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active shooter is less likely to find you.
Find a room that can be locked or barricaded from the inside
Close and lock all doors and windows
Turn off lights and silence your phone
Stay away from doors and windows
Remain quiet and do not open the door for anyone
As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter.
Fight is an absolute last resort — only when your life is in imminent danger
Act with aggression and commit fully — hesitation is dangerous
Improvise weapons: fire extinguishers, chairs, laptops, hot liquids
Yell, throw objects, and create chaos to disrupt the shooter's focus
Work as a team if others are present — overwhelm the threat together
What to Expect
The arrival of law enforcement does not mean the incident is over. Officers will move quickly through the building to neutralize the threat. Understanding how to behave during this phase is critical — officers will treat everyone as a potential threat until the scene is secured.
Remain calm and follow all officer instructions immediately
Keep your hands visible and fingers spread — do not reach for anything
Avoid pointing or making sudden movements
Do not stop to ask officers for help — keep moving to the exit
Officers will treat everyone as a potential threat until the scene is secured
Provide information to officers once you are safely outside
Critical Reminder
"Officers responding to an active shooter are trained to move past injured victims. Their first priority is to stop the killing — not to render aid."
This is not indifference — it is doctrine. Stopping the threat saves more lives than treating casualties before the scene is secure. Medical personnel and rescue task forces will follow behind law enforcement to treat the injured.
This is why civilian Stop the Bleed training is so important. In the minutes between the shooting stopping and medical personnel arriving, bystanders with basic hemorrhage control skills can save lives.
Hemorrhage Control Basics
Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in active shooter events. These five steps can keep a victim alive until EMS arrives.
Call 911
Alert emergency services immediately. Every second counts.
Find the bleed
Locate the source of bleeding. Expose the wound by cutting away clothing if needed.
Apply direct pressure
Pack the wound tightly with a cloth or gauze and press hard with both hands. Do not let go.
Apply a tourniquet
For limb bleeds, apply a tourniquet 2–3 inches above the wound. Tighten until bleeding stops. Note the time.
Hold until EMS arrives
Maintain pressure. Do not remove packing. Keep the victim calm and still.
TacMed USA training covers Stop the Bleed in depth — including tourniquet application, wound packing, and pressure dressings — as part of our tactical medicine curriculum. See our TacMed for Patrol and Small Hole and Big Bleed articles for the clinical detail behind these techniques.
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Ready to Train Your Team?
TacMed USA delivers active shooter response and tactical medicine training for law enforcement, security teams, and civilian workplaces. Contact us to schedule a course.