Active Shooter Response / Solo Engagement

1. Craig James Trevor Fowler Active Shooter Response / Solo Engagement

2. Solo Engagement Training • Provide officers with the mental and physical skills to attract the attention of the active shooter away from the potential victims, confuse and frustrate the shooter, and allow the ability to successfully neutralize the situation.

3. Objectives • The student will have basic understanding of: • Characteristics of an active shooter • Evolution from Team to Solo Tactical Responses • What to expect on the scene of an Active Shooter Incident. • Proper Mental Attitude Needed to Encounter an Active Shooter • Effects of Stress on the body • Tactical Breathing • Common Engagement Tactics Used to Encounter Active Shooters (Including Solo Engagement)

4. Objectives Continued… • The student will demonstrate the following through practical exercises and scenarios • Officer Safety • The Tactical and Mental Skills Learned • Solo and Team Tactics Actors, Air Soft Weapons and Protective Gear Will Be Used.

5. Active Shooter • One or more subjects whom have used, is using or threatens to use a weapon to inflict deadly force on others, and/or continues to do so while having unrestricted access to additional victims. • Prior actions demonstrate intent to continuously harm; objective appears to be mass injury or murder. • Suicide likely to be the end result .

6. ACTIVE SHOOTER FACTS • Higher hit rate due to static targets. • They hunt defenseless innocents, typical AS not capable of “competing” on a level playing field. • They have absolute control over life and death until they stop at their leisure or are stopped. • They do not take hostages or negotiate • Generally, they avoid police, they do not ambush armed adversaries. • Typically they fold upon armed confrontation. • Surrender or escape attempts rare. • Most police officers have already faced worse opponents from a personal safety standpoint.

8. Prior to LE Arrival • 49% Ended with out LE on scene. • 67% AS ended incident (34) • 29 Committed Suicide • 5 Left the Scene • 33% Potential Victims at the Scene Stopped the Shooter (17) • 14 cases they physically subdued the attacker • 3 cases involved people at the scene shooting the suspect

9. When LE Arrived • 51% were still ongoing • Of these 40% stopped themselves (21) • 15 of these committed suicide • 6 of these surrendered • Of these LE used force to stop suspect 60% of the time (32) • 23 of these involved LE shooting the suspect • 9 cases involved LE subduing suspect by means other than firearm

10. Characteristics of an Active Shooter • Many AS use sniper tactics or remain actively mobile. • Active Shooter events are dynamic, but may change between “active” & “static”. • Active Shooters typically continue their violence despite the arrival of police. • Tactics such as containment or negotiations may not be adequate. • Rifles, explosives, body armor, extra ammunition, booby traps, edged weapons are not uncommon. • This is PLANNED by the Active Shooter. • Active Shooters may be suicidal – Good % end this way • Active Shooter’s usually are familiar with the building or location they choose.

11. Active killer hunting victims • Chilling New Video of the Navy Yard Shooter [720p].mp4

12. How are “Active Shooter/Killer” situations different? • Not a hostage situation. • Not a stand off. • Not a barricaded perpetrator. • But can transition to one of these and back.

13. IMMEDIATE/RAPID DEPLOYMENT - The swift and immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to on-going, life threatening situations where delayed deployment could otherwise result in death or serious injury to innocent persons. • DYNAMIC SITUATION - The situation is evolving very rapidly along with the suspect’s action (active gun fire!). • STATIC SITUATION - The situation is not evolving or in motion, the suspect actions appear to be contained.

14. RAPID DEPLOYMENT RESPONSE • The Rapid Deployment (R/D) active shooter response came out of the Columbine tragedy (1999) • Pre Columbine: establish perimeter and call SWAT • Post Columbine: engage and neutralize the threat • Theory originally out of LAPD / NTOA • Many variations on the theme exist today! (run-hide-fight, A.L.I.C.E., The Diamond)

15. STANDARD TACTICAL APPROACHES • Team movement was focus post Columbine • Contact Team generally utilizes one of several tactical formations: • Diamond (four-five operators) • Large T (four-five operators) • Arrowhead (four-five operators) • Small T (three operators) • Broken Arrow (three operators) • Wedge or ‘Y’ (three operators) • Do you want to wait for back up while people are actively being killed????

16. WHY ARE THESE TACTICS FLAWED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS? • Average Response Time for armed officers is likely to be 5 – 20 minutes. • Recent study puts median response time at 3 min (dispatch to arrival???) • The average duration of Incident with Active Shooter is 3 – 4 minutes. • The average time per Injury/Kill is 15 seconds.

17. MORAL DILEMMA We all go home at the end of the shift. Right??????? Remember the Safety Priorities. 1. Safety of the Innocent (those who encounter the active shooter). 2. Safety of third parties (those who may encounter the active shooter). 3. Safety of Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders. 4. Safety of Suspects.

18. THE NEW PHILOSOPHY • Many dangerous situations begin with one officer taking action while backup en route. • Solo Responder is guaranteed an avalanche of resources coming fast on their heels (will not be alone for long). • The typical Active Shooter is not a conventional criminal predator but a cowardly revenge seeker. • Officers need to learn valid and aggressive tactical principles.

19. ISRAELI MODEL • Change in tactics for the 1st of the First Responders. • Military Tactics. • Speed, Surprise, Violence of action, etc • Close in aggressively & finish the fight. • Momentum of battle, keep them reacting. • Swift application of DEADLY FORCE.

20. Our Goals • Rapid Deployment • Get in and end it quickly. Time = Lives • Awareness • What is the situation?, Officer Safety... • Intervention • Shooters ability to kill Innocence. • Decisiveness • Having the power to determine an outcome • EMS • Allowing access sooner. Time = Lives • Recovery • Start the healing and to return to normal. • (have you heard of “warm zone” tactics???)

21. RESPONDER MINDSET • Prepare for the fight of your life. You are hunting for a killer • Pre-plan – war games, train, rehearse in your mind what you will do. • Have the right equipment / training • Prepare to be on your OWN • Know your limitations. Can you push beyond them?

22. RESPONDER MINDSET • Recognize 360 degree vulnerability; horizontally and vertically. • Do not “clear” ALL rooms; advance swiftly, pass injured persons/harmless distractions and engage the Active Shooter(s). • Who are else may be armed & active, (CCW, Off Duty)

23. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE Prepare for this Mentally, Emotionally and Physically! • It will be loud, confusing, smelly, gruesome and dynamic. • Victims hiding, confused and frightened – not responding to Law Enforcement directions. • Carnage. • Fire alarm sounding, strobe lights, sprinklers activated • Floor could be hazardous (blood, water, glass, debris etc)

24. LEVELS OF COMPETENCE • Unconscious Incompetence – You’ve no idea what you are going to do • Conscious Incompetence – You know you are not prepared for this • Unconscious Competence – You will rely on your training • Conscious Competence – You are prepared, thinking rationally, ready

25. Remember and apply the basics. • Angle of approach • Stairs • Weapon manipulation • Equipment familiarity • Handcuffing • Verbal commands, etc. • When Contact is imminent: • Work your angles. • Stick to the basics. • Watch your environment • Shadows • Reflections in Glass • Sounds

26. PLAIN CLOTHES / OFF DUTY • Be alert to your surroundings. • You may be mistaken for a “bad guy” by other responding personnel. • Where is your ID & badge? • How will you identify yourself – from front and rear? • Comply with any commands given to you by other responders, especially uniformed personnel. • Others may also not be in Uniform.

27. EFFECTS ON YOUR BODY • This is NOT something you can train realistically for! • Expect to experience the following: • Hyperventilation. • Accelerated heart rate. • Adrenaline rush. • Deterioration of the cognitive thought process – confusion • Diminished fine motor skills. • Diminished hearing. • Perceptual distortion. • Tunnel vision.

28. How to Do Tactical Breathing • Breathe from your diaphragm. Your stomach expands, moving out to make room for the air, as you breathe in, and contracts as you breathe out. • Breathe in through your nose to the count of 4. • Hold your breath to the count of 4. • Breathe out through your lips to the count of 4. • Hold your breath to the count of 4. • Repeat until you feel your body and mind relax.

29. Position SUL • Support hand palm flat against body, fingers extended and parallel ground, support hand thumb pointed up • Strong hand grip on handgun. Finger off trigger • Muzzle pointed at ground between the feet. • Side of handgun against the back of support hand. • “Thumb to Thumb” • Elbows relaxed against the shooter’s sides. • To engage threat - push handgun away from body, allow hands to pivot at thumbs, hands come together in a firing grip. • Trigger finger is straight until the sights are on the target.

30. Isosceles or HK Stance • Basic stance most people will take instinctively in high stress situations with body square to threat. • Thrust gun with arms straight • Shoulders perpendicular to target • Arms, elbows & wrists locked • Feet shoulder width apart, pointing toward target, with knees slightly bent. • Arms and shoulders make isosceles triangle, giving the stance the name. • Important not to lean your entire upper body forward with thrust. • Females - curl your hips forward to flatten out the curve of your lower back.

31. Point Shooting • An entire methodology and theory of combat shooting - Not a stance • Advantage is ability to put rounds on target much quicker than other methods • Simply point weapon at target, as if pointing with index finger • Instantly achieves rounds on target with center-of-mass hits • For reasonable combat ranges (maybe out to 50 feet)

32. Point Shooting • Look at the red “O”. • Close your eyes. • With your eyes closed point your finger at where you think the red “O” is located. • Open your eyes.

33. Ways to negotiate corners • Use of mirrors – Slow but safe. • Quick-peak – Lack of weapon gives away position. • Slicing-the-pie – Exposed to threat, Weapon Ready • Israeli Lean – Less Exposure, Weapon Ready

34. Clearing – Cutting the Pie The issue with this is you are exposed at the same time the threat is revealed.

35. The Israeli Lean • Assume the Isosceles or HK Stance and maintain throughout maneuver • Lean sideways so the upper diagonal portion of the body is leaning past the cover. • Only head and a diagonal line from one shoulder to the waist on the other side are visible. • Stand a few feet away from the wall.

36. The Israeli Lean • This method provides significant cover in comparison with the “slicing-the-pie” . • The ability to engage and eliminate threats upon recognition is a major advantage

37. Israeli lean

38. Israeli lean • KAPAP ACADEMY LLC - Israeli Dynamic Entry Active Shooter Response [360p].mp4

39. Support Side or Shoulder bump • Transition weapon to support hand when needed. • What about Long Guns? - Two options. • Switch hands “grip to Support” • Shoulder Bump keeping same hand position just transfer shoulders. Keep in mind you may have to adjust your sling.

40. Modified Prone

41. Hallway Movement • Use Center of Hall. • Allows better lines of sight. • Protects from ricocheting rounds. • Take advantage of Angles. • Do not flag entries and exits.

42. 1 Adam 12…. 1 Adam 12…(just because it’s old does not mean it’s outdated!) • How to Win a Gunfight - Shoot a Gun - Shooting For Survival FBI Training Video [360p].mp4

43. Angles and Speed will become your rear cover. Choose a threat and take it.

44. Doorway Hazards Don’t stay in the in the threat zone.

45. Hallway to Room Entry Your Speed Gives Him No Shot • Aggression, Angle, and Speed minimize exposure. • Clear as much as possible without making entry and without exposing “6”. • Only enter as far in and as far deep as necessary. • “One step in, one step deep”. • *** Clear deeper if needed *** • Get behind cover/concealment as quick as possible.

46. Re-entry to Hallway / Other Threat Maintain Speed and Aggressiveness while quickly clearing entire area from small footprint. Turn away from the wall. ? Constant Movement makes you a very hard target

47. Re-entry to Hallway / Other Threat ? Do Not Back into a Gunfight !

48. Re-entry to Hallway or Other Threat Work the Angles. Do Not Back into a Gunfight !

49. Re-entry to Hallway or Other Threat Continue to the fight!

50. Clearing a “T”-Intersection