While the odds of getting involved in a mass shooting are quite low, such incidents have actually increased dramatically in recent years. In such a situation, it is easy to feel terrified, overwhelmed and confused; knowing how to react appropriately can increase your chances of survival, and those of others, should you find yourself in danger.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Assessing the Situation
Step 1. Stay calm
It is perfectly normal to panic in an emergency situation like this, but by doing so you react emotionally instead of addressing the problem rationally. It may seem impossible to stay calm during a shoot-out, but there are some things you can do to try to stay "clear-headed".
Focus on your breath. Count to three as you inhale, hold your breath for the same amount of time and exhale for another count to three. You can (and should) breathe this way while looking for a safe place; controlling your breathing prevents you from hyperventilating and making rash decisions
Step 2. Put other people on alert
Once you understand that this is a real shooting, you need to warn others who are nearby. Some individuals may not have been aware of the danger, while others may have frozen in fear. Warn everyone nearby that you think there is a shooting going on and everyone should run away or hide.
Step 3. Define a plan
It is essential that you have established an action plan in case of an emergency. Training and preparation can help you escape safely, but remember that you must always have a "plan B"; that way, if you can't follow the main one, you always have an alternative.
Step 4. Get ready to run
Many people get stuck in a dangerous situation. If there is a shooting going on, you may feel the need to stand still and hide; however, experts only recommend doing this if you are unable to escape safely. If you know that there is a safe way out to get away from the attacker, prevent yourself from being "frozen" and force yourself to run, as long as it is doable without taking any risks.
Part 2 of 5: Salvo
Step 1. View your movements
It is important to plan your escape and be aware of your surroundings. Consider whether there is a risk that the attacker could potentially reach you or other people on the way to escape, and predict possible reactions in advance, should this situation arise.
- Most shooters aim at random targets. The more difficult it is to see and hit you, the safer you are; therefore try to be rational and avoid entering his field of vision.
- If you are near him, look for a path that allows you to both hide (to stay out of sight) and cover yourself (to protect yourself from bullets).
Step 2. Get out if possible
If there is a shooting going on nearby, even if you are afraid, you need to move and get as far away from the dangerous situation as possible. Don't stick around to watch or evaluate what's going on; instead try to put as much distance as possible between you and the attacker, so that he cannot shoot you and consequently reduce the risk of being hit by a stray bullet.
- Keep in mind that this is only possible if the shooter hasn't seen you, if you're hiding in the crowd, or if you hear a distant gunfire, but haven't seen the killer yet.
- If you can help others without endangering your own safety, try to do it.
- Run away even if others insist on staying; encourage people you meet to get away with you. However, if you see them hesitating, don't wait for them to decide; your priority is to get away from the shooting area.
Step 3. Forget your stuff
Remember that the most important thing is your life, not your phone or other personal items; do not delay the escape in an attempt to recover your possessions and if you see someone trying to take their things instead, tell them to stop.
Step 4. Take whatever exit you can
Find the first useful escape route to escape, including emergency doors or windows. Most restaurants, cinemas or other public places have access doors dedicated to staff (for example in warehouses and kitchens), so you can search and use them if possible.
Step 5. Call the emergency services
Once you've gotten out of harm's way and found a safe exit, call 112 or find someone with a phone who can call the police.
- When you have managed to leave the building, stay as far away from it as possible.
- Prevent passers-by or other people from getting involved. Tell those outside what is happening in the building and advise them to stay as far away as possible.
Part 3 of 5: Hide from the Shooter
Step 1. Find a hiding place
Choose a spot that is out of the killer's line of sight and protects you in case the bullets are fired in your direction. But don't choose a hiding place that blocks you and makes you an easy "target"; the ideal place should have adequate space in which you can move and escape should the need arise.
- Quickly decide where to take refuge; search as quickly as possible for a place to hide.
- If you can't find a room that has a door that you can lock, try to hide behind something that can hide the body, such as a copier or filing cabinet.
Step 2. Stay calm
Turn off the lights, if the place is illuminated, and remain silent; make sure you turn off the cell phone ringer and turn off the vibrate function as well. Resist the urge to cough or sneeze, and don't talk to anyone else hiding near you.
- Remember that if you are in hiding, the last thing you want is for the attacker to notice you.
- You may be tempted to call the authorities, but avoid doing so; If you are in a public place, such as a restaurant or school, it is likely that other people who have escaped or who have heard the shots have already alerted the police.
Step 3. Lock the hiding place
If you are in a room, lock the door or block access with some heavy object, such as a wardrobe or sofa; make it difficult for the killer to get inside.
Blocking access allows you to stay safe and buy time; if you or someone else called the police, officers could be there in a matter of minutes, and even just two or three minutes can make all the difference in an emergency situation
Step 4. Lower yourself down and get into a horizontal position
Lie on the floor with your face down and your arms close to your head without covering it. This prone position allows you to protect the internal organs; furthermore, if the shooter sees you lying down like this, he can also infer that you are already dead. Lying on the floor also reduces the risk of being hit by a few stray bullets.
Stay away from the door. Some armed attackers sometimes shoot at the closed door instead of trying to enter or break into it; as bullets go through wood, it is best to stay out of the risk area
Part 4 of 5: Fighting the Assassin
Step 1. Fighting must be a last resort
If you can safely escape or hide, you shouldn't try to deal with the attacker; it should be the last attempt if there are no alternatives, but if you decide to do so, it is important to find an absolutely safe way to proceed.
Step 2. Find some item to use as a weapon
Locate anything that can be used to hit or injure the shooter, such as a chair, fire extinguisher, or pot of hot liquid. Most people don't have a weapon at hand, so you have to improvise and use what you find nearby. You should hold the object in front of your body to deflect the thug's blows or to throw it at him.
- Scissors or a letter opener can be used as if they were a knife; you can also use a pen as a weapon, particularly if you can pry with your thumb.
- If there is a fire extinguisher nearby, grab it; you can spray the product in the face of the attacker or use it as a tool to hit him in the head.
Step 3. Make him helpless
Fighting the aggressor should always be a last resort if your life is in danger; if you cannot escape or hide, act alone or with others to fight. Find a way to disarm the shooter or to knock him down and disorient him.
Encourage other people to step in and help you; acting as a group puts you at an advantage against a single offender
Step 4. Be physically aggressive
If the killer is very close, remember that you should only try to disarm him if your life is absolutely in danger. Whatever you decide to do, it is important to move quickly and carefully to deprive him of the weapon or render him harmless.
- If he has a shotgun, grab the barrel, aim it away from you and simultaneously hit or kick the attacker. He will probably want to regain control of the weapon, but if you follow his movements, you can take him by surprise and cause him to lose his balance. If you can grab the butt of the rifle as well, you can handle both ends and use the weapon as leverage to strike again with kicks and knees or to push the thug.
- If he has a pistol, try to grab the barrel from the top so the shooter can't point it at you. many pistol models become unusable when held this way.
- When attempting to take down the attacker, focus on the upper parts of his body; his hands and weapon are the most dangerous in a shooting. Eventually, focus on her eyes, face, shoulders, or neck.
Step 5. Stay focused
Even if you are scared, especially if you know that the attacker is armed with an assault rifle and you simply have a broom as a weapon, just think about how you can disarm and block him. Think about your own life and that of other people who the killer can pounce on.
Fortunately, the body triggers a natural reaction to "combat" that allows you to stay alert and focused on survival at any cost
Part 5 of 5: Getting Help
Step 1. Stay calm
If you have managed to escape from the dangerous situation, take deep breaths. You have probably experienced a feeling of panic, shock, or numbness due to the trauma; it is therefore advisable to regain clarity by concentrating on the breath.
When you feel able to speak, you should call family and loved ones and tell them you are okay
Step 2. Always keep your hands clearly visible
When law enforcement officers intervene, their first task is to stop the shooter; therefore, once you have exited the building or public place, you must always keep your hands in view to show that you have no weapon. The police are trained to deal with anyone as a potential suspect, as offenders sometimes pose as victims.
Step 3. Don't point or shout
Cops have strict protocols for handling a mass shooting; let them do their job and do not confuse them or make the situation worse by intervening, especially since the emotions are particularly intense; let them do their job well and disarm the shooter.
Step 4. Know that medical help is on the way
The police are trained to locate and stop the killers and this is their priority, they do not stop in front of the wounded and are unable to heal them. But you don't have to worry, because surely an ambulance has already been called to intervene on people hit by bullets or injured in some other way.
If you have been hit by a bullet, try to slow your breathing to avoid shock and decrease bleeding. cover the wound with your hands or a cloth and apply pressure to try to stop the bleeding until help arrives
Advice
- Learn about the various procedures you can take to deal with a shooting. Most schools and workplaces, for example, have a specific protocol that also includes situations like this and prepares students and workers for those circumstances; these procedures are called "emergency".
- Keep in mind that during a shooting of this type the victims are usually chosen at random; it is an unpredictable situation that can unfold very quickly. The harder it is to see and hit you, the safer you are.
- Be aware that the police usually intervene within a few minutes; Furthermore, most mass shootings last no more than 10-15 minutes.
Warnings
- Don't scream, otherwise you attract even more attention and you could become the target of the killer. Look for a way out or find something to hide and / or cover yourself with; keep calm and leave emotions for when it's all over.
- Don't get stuck in panic or disbelief. Experts have found that during a shooting the type of reaction in the first five seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
- Don't be a hero. Fighting an attacker is always the last option and you should only consider it when you don't have a chance to hide or escape.
