In my last article, I discussed something that concerns many people these days: active shooter events. I also discussed how some people freeze-up, and how we can take advantage of our wonderful, powerful brains! Our brains interpret all that we see and hear, and it makes connections to what we already know, when it learns of something new. We can use that tendency to prepare our brains, and ourselves, to respond in ways that will greatly increase our survival in deadly situations.

What can an unarmed person do to survive an active shooter event, and where might it happen? We have seen these heinous events take place in almost every environment: post offices, grocery stores, movie theaters, churches, schools, POLICE STATIONS! Yes, one occurred in a POLICE STATION. Because it might happen anywhere, the best plans are completely flexible, adaptable, and something you can do anywhere. The best plans are flexible and work best when you don’t panic, keep a clear mind, and realize you may need to change your response, from moment to moment. I firmly believe that most people are smart enough to think their way through this problem if they can keep their mind free from panic.

I will describe three basic actions. All should be something you give serious thought to doing. Give them serious consideration. You might start doing one, and then quickly switch to another, and then go back and forth. Some may not be options. These do not go in any particular order.

Get Away. The best way to survive an attack is to not be there! If you see trouble brewing, or start to feel uncomfortable, or hear something strange, get away. Don’t hesitate. Don’t tell yourself it’s probably nothing. Take action to immediately get away. This may mean changing directions, going back where you came, turning a corner, or running away. If shooting has started, get away very fast! It is harder to hit a moving target. If you hear a loud bang, I want you to be ready to think, “that might be  gunfire.” Don’t tell yourself it can’t be. Just be able to accept, “it might be gunfire.”

Get Safe. If you are trapped in a place, a building, an office, a place where getting away is not an option that is safe, then consider getting into a safer location. Closing and locking doors has saved many people in active shooter situations. Getting out of sight can be a great temporary solution. Remember to keep your plan flexible. Be ready to change your action if what you are doing is not working. Maybe you start by stepping behind counters, racks of clothes, displays of books, or anything to get you out of sight of the shooter. Realize that some things will stop bullets, but most will not. A concrete wall will stop bullets. A car will not, a desk will not, a door will not. Get safe by getting out of sight. Turn off lights, silence cell phones, and stay low. Possibly sit or lie down. As I said before, be ready to take a different action if this is not working.  If your hiding place is compromised, be prepared to quickly get away or get tough.

Get Tough. Getting away may not be an option. Getting Safe may not be an option, or it might fail. Few things are more frightening than taking on a person with a gun, especially if you don’t have one. I think it is better than giving up and letting someone kill you for their own thrill, or their pure hatred. Think about your family and loved ones. They want YOU to LIVE. They want you to be at the next holiday, wedding, or birth of a child. DON’T GIVE UP and DON’T GIVE IN. Get tough. The advantage of guns is not just their power, but their long range. You can take away the advantage of long range if you attack a shooter from very close, from an unseen position if possible. Al Capone used to say, “Run from a knife and rush a gun.”  He knew his business. If you can attack a shooter from a blind corner or ambush them from very close range at a choke point, you can make them react to you, and you can take away the advantages of a gun.

If you have to Get Tough, look around for things to aid you. Look for things that are hard, something you can use to defend your life. Maybe throw things to distract the shooter to allow you to Get Away or get closer to take more effective action. Fire extinguishers, coffee mugs, hot coffee, staplers, chairs, laptops, scissors, mop handles, wrenches are all things you might find around you to use to defend your life. You have a right to defend yourself. You have a right to use force to save yourself and others from someone who is trying to kill you.  Attack weak spots like eyes, throat, groin, and fingers. Commit to your actions and never give up! Work as a team and commit to your actions. A group of smaller, weaker people can physically overcome a larger subject. If you can knock them down and put all your body weight on a single hand, while another person pins down the other hand, while another person pins down the head… you get the picture. YOU CAN SURVIVE. YOU CAN WIN.

These responses may come in any order. Maybe first you Get Tough, then you can Get Away. Maybe first you Get Safe, then after the shooter has left your area you Get Away.  Maybe you use all three, as the situation develops. No one can tell you exactly what to do, but these concepts I have describe are universally accepted as useful and have saved many lives.

In my next article, I will talk about putting these concepts together. I will talk about taking advantage of our brain power, our ability to predict situations, and our ability to prepare a response.

In the meantime, see to your safety. Trust your instincts! Be watchful of your surroundings. Call Crime Check at 509-456-2233, or 911 if you see suspicious or criminal behavior.  In fact, in almost any situation in all of Spokane County, if you need answers or help from law enforcement, you should start by calling Crime Check at 509-456-2233.

Lastly, enjoy life! The fall leaves are turning colors. People everywhere are making plans for holidays with loved ones. Enjoy this season, as it is brief! Did you go out last month and enjoy the natural beauty of our region? I’ve heard the eagles are back at Coeur d’Alene Lake again! If you can make a trip there, you might get a real treat!

As always you can contact me by emailing to dwmorris@spokanesheriff.org.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CAN BE DIRECTED TO DEPUTY David Morris OF THE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT OF THE SPOKANE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: DWMorris@SpokaneSheriff.org