TPD: Run, Hide, Or Fight During Active Shooter Situation

Figuring out what to do during an active shooting situation is not when you hear gunshots, during the panic and chaos.

2/14/2018 Related Story: 17 Killed In Deadly Shooting At Florida High School

Police say you need to create a plan ahead of time.
    
Three words to remember are run, hide, and fight and they apply in any active shooter situation, whether you're at school, work, movie, concert or the grocery store.

"If bad guys are going to plan, we should do some planning of our own," said Tulsa Police Captain Mike Eckert. 

Tulsa's SWAT commander is doing active shooter training for Tulsa Housing Authority, a training he does dozens of times a year.

"The run, hide, fight mentality is universal," said Eckert. 

Run. As soon as you hear gunfire, immediately, get out. Always know where the nearest exit is. As you go in someplace, look for ways to get out."

Get as far away from the violence as fast as you can. Go and encourage others to follow. If you see people running, follow.

If you can't run, Hide. That does not mean getting under your desk or getting on the ground.

Hiding means finding a place where you can barricade yourself inside, preferably a door that opens in, then start stacking things in front of it like a table, filing cabinet, or chairs.

"If he's faced with a stack of furniture in front of him, that may be a deterrent to extend our lives a little bit more or save our lives," said Eckert. 

The last resort is to fight. Anything you can get your hands on becomes a weapon and there are no rules.

Police say rather than attack the shooter, attack the gun, but don't pull at it, push it away so the barrel is pointing somewhere other than at people.

"I'm not telling you to take the gun away or disarm somebody, just make it go some other direction than at you," Eckert said

Before you go into a mall or concert, designate a meeting place. If something happens, you're not running around looking for each other, you're going out to that location.