Local assistant police chief says life-saving training is important to know

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – We are just 101 days into 2023 and the United States has already experienced over 140 mass shootings.

That’s more than one mass shooting in a day jolting communities.

And it can happen anywhere at any time.

West Point Assistant Police Chief Kennedy Meaders trains officers and civilians with life-saving skills to protect themselves from a scenario that is no longer rare.

It seems that no one is immune from being a victim of a mass shooting.

Law enforcement is on call and ready to arrive on a scene in minutes but every second counts.

“They can happen anywhere. They can happen at a bank, at a church, they can do it at a mall, at a post office, or wherever a person wants to go and kill a vast amount of people. It can happen anywhere. As police officers, we have to be prepared and as civilians, we definitely have to be prepared and be aware of our surroundings,” said Meaders.

Meaders said when you step outside your home, a mass shooting threat is always possible.

“It’s not a matter of if but it’s a matter of when and if you have that type of philosophy and type of mentality then you have a plan for it,” said Meaders.

If you have a plan or need to start one, Meaders said you should use the A.D.D. method.

So first, Avoid.

“Do your best to get behind a locked door and avoid the active shooter at all costs. If you can, get out the back door and go as far as you can then that’s what you need to do,” said Meaders.

Then, Deny and Defend.

“Get yourself behind a locked door and make sure that door is secure. If you can’t secure it, put something up to the door and make sure that person can not get in so you want to deny entry to that person but if you can’t deny entry to that person and that person gets in that room then you do everything you can. I don’t care what you have to do. Pick up anything you can to defend yourself and make sure if this person gets in here, ‘I’m going to do what I need to do in order to live’,” said Meaders.

Meaders said if anyone is interested in hosting a class he is always happy to teach groups about the reality of mass shootings.

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