Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-black-officer-uniform-1464230/

Gun violence has grown to become a real issue in the U.S., and according to the Gun Violence Archive, around 393 mass shootings have been recorded around the country since January.

According to many stats, states like California, Alabama, and even Arizona have recorded the highest rates. Though the police have been doing a great job fighting the rate of this violence, it is still estimated that their response time is around 60 seconds to 10 minutes, and a lot can happen within that time.

Plus, there’s no telling the right place for a mass shooting; it can happen in a school, a local cafeteria, or even at a workplace, so knowing how to react is very important in improving your chances of going through the whole process unharmed.

Is a Mass Shooting Different from an Active Shooter Situation?

In most cases, they are the same thing. But, according to the FBI, a mass shooting incident is defined by the number of people harmed in the process. According to them, it has to be a minimum of four casualties to be classified as such.

Then, there’s the intent—mass shooters engage in violence with the sole purpose of hurting as many people as possible; it could be for political, religious, ideological, or even mental health reasons.

Whereas an active shooter may only intend to harm a single person, and that “may” quickly escalate into harming several people at the same time. The FBI has reported that there were just around 48 active shooting incidents last year. So, it’s not that common compared to mass shootings.

So, to answer the question, the FBI can classify a mass shooting as an active shooter situation, but not all active shooter cases are classified as mass shootings, especially if the casualties are less than four victims.

With that out of the way, let’s discuss some strategies.

Your First Line of Defense

There are no conventional methods to protect yourself during a mass shooting; you have to use your senses as your first line of defense.

This doesn’t mean you must start acting like a bodyguard everywhere you go; it is the responsibility of the event organizer or property owner to ensure your safety, as clarified by Brandon Stein, a renowned shooting injury lawyer. 

However, while this is true, you must also be vigilant on your own part and develop some level of situational awareness.

If you’re at a place and notice someone walking in strangely, you should be able to read their body language and predict their intentions. An angry face, a bag pack big enough to conceal an AR-15, AK-47, handgun, or even a shotgun, and strange or weird-looking clothing or fashion sense should put you on alert.

That doesn’t mean anyone with an angry face, a bag, and a weird sense of fashion qualifies as a mass shooter; they could be ordinary folks living their lives differently. The only important thing here is to be intuitive and aware of your surroundings so you can take action rather than panic like everyone else.

You must also grow the habit of scanning your environment for features like exits and hiding spots as soon as you arrive at any location. These things take only a few seconds to do, so make time for them. Knowing where to run to while everyone else is busy screaming and tripping on each other puts you ahead of them and improves your chances of survival.

Either Run, Hide, or Fight

If your suspicions are proven true, or you hear gunshots fired and people screaming, use the “Run, Hide, Fight” protocols for your safety.

Run “If” Possible

This is where your intuition will play a huge role. You must assess the threat and where you’re positioned to know whether to run. If you are near the exit and are sure the shooter won’t aim at you, run for it.

Do not concern yourself with others’ actions or try to imitate them. Run for the exit regardless of whether they choose to follow you. And leave your things behind; you don’t have time to fix your iPad into your purse or search for your car keys; leave everything as it is and run.

As you cross the exit, try to warn others from entering and find somewhere to wait for the cops. If you have a phone with you after escaping, call 911 to report the situation and give them details of what you know.

If You Can’t Run, Hide

If your intuition tells you not to run for obvious reasons, like being targeted by the shooter and getting shot in the process, then don’t do it.

Find a hiding spot that will keep you out of their sight, preferably a room with a lockable door, or if possible, hide in a location that won’t trap you or restrict your options for movement. But if you don’t have many options, find a room to hide in.

Close the windows or blinds, turn off the lights, silence your phone, or put it in airplane mode.

Then, quietly scan the room for any objects you can use for self-defense and find a corner where you can stay protected from bullets in case the shooter is crazy enough to fire randomly from outside the door.

Be Ready to Fight!

Usually, the authorities should have established presence within the first 60 seconds to 10 minutes, but if they are yet to do so, you must be prepared to defend yourself by all means necessary.

The shooter may start going from room to room to ensure everyone is shot, so be ready to confront them if they enter the room or place you’re hiding.

Also, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hide before confronting the shooter; if you feel you’re closer to them and have the advantage of subduing them even as soon as they draw out their weapon, go for it.

Others will join you, and together, you all should be able to incapacitate the shooter and protect yourselves before the cops arrive.

Wrapping Up

No one hopes to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but life is unscripted, and the least we can do is prepare for the unexpected. So work with these tips, and you should be able to improve your odds of surviving a mass shooting attack.