Planning for an active shooter in the workplace

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It could happen anywhere at anytime.

An active shooter in the same building as you, even inside your workplace, like Friday’s shooting in Virginia Beach.

It’s an unnerving thought, but would you know what to do?

Active shooter drills are taught in schools and in a growing number of churches, but not every business is prepared.

Those in law enforcement say it’s important to have a plan.

If someone came into your workplace and started shooting, what would you do?

Where would you go?

Those are the questions that come to mind when you hear the words active shooter.

The Columbus Police Department offers training to businesses interested in having an emergency plan.

“It’s happening. It’s happening. Now, you’re hearing shots fired. You’re seeing people fall and we don’t want you to aaahhhh, no. It’s time to take action, either you run, or you shelter in place, or you try to provide aid to a person. It’s an intense situation and what will happen is a drill will put it in you so you can respond and do something,” says CPD Chief Fred Shelton.

Shelton said he believes it’s just as important for businesses to have an active shooter plan as it is to have fire, tornado and bomb threat drills.

He said drills won’t stop a shooter, but they will give you course of action if you find yourself in that situation.

Shelton said if you can get out of the building then get out, but if you can’t, the next best thing to do is find cover and concealment.

“I’m hiding. He cannot see all of me, but this is not going to stop a bullet. Right? However, this desk, this wood is heavier, so what I’ve got between me and him, and say that he was coming through that door, I’ve got this desk.”

The chief said shooters are usually looking for targets of opportunity, so learn to become a hard target.

Say you can’t get out of the building and you don’t have a place for cover and concealment, then what?

“The person is coming through that door, right? So, I want to block him, so he’s got, now that person has to jump over those chairs. He’s going to have to run toward me. I’ve got something in the way. I’ve got some obstacles. I’m putting something in between me and him, right? Because he’s about to trap me now, because I’m moving that chair out in front of him to keep him away from me.”

Columbus Main Street Executive Director Barbara Bigelow teamed up with the police department to help area businesses develop their own plans.

“I do think that all business owners should. They’re important and feel that they need to have a plan in place for their employees and that their employees need to be aware of the plan because you don’t know who is going to be sitting where when someone walks into your building and not only that, we’re in an open carry society these days so it’s even more possible.”

Shelton said on top of businesses knowing what to do in an active shooter scenario, it’s also important for them to notice changes of behavior in employees, or to look for behavior that would indicate a risk.