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Active Assailant

Active assailant situations are always unpredictable. These are some suggested steps that may help to protect you if there is an active shooter on campus.

Run, Hide, Fight

The Run. Hide. Fight. model is widely recognized as a national best practice for crisis response, particularly during active shooter incidents.

RUN

Evacuate

  • Have an escape route and plan in mind.
  • Leave your belongings behind.
  • Help others escape, if possible. 
  • Keep  your hands visible. 
  • Call UPD or 911 or use the Safe Ospreys App only when safe to do so.

HIDE

Shelter in Place

  • If you cant escape, hide in an area out of the shooter's view, and behind something solid if possible.
  • Lock doors and blockade with heavy furniture. 
  • Stay away from doors and windows. 
  • Silence devices. 
  • Stay quiet. 
  • Do not open the door to anyone.

FIGHT

Commit to this Action

  • Fighting is a last resort to be used only when your life is in imminent danger.
  • Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter
  • Find an object to use as a weapon, such as a fire extinguisher. 
  • Work as a team with someone if possible.

Find a Place of Safety

Your goal should be to get away from the area of the shooter or to not be visible to the shooter.

If you can get out and go to a place of safety, get out quick, but be alert to the possibility of other gunmen.

If the best place of safety is within a building do the following:

  • Lock and barricade doors.
  • Turn off lights and close the blinds.
  • Turn off radios, TVs and monitors.
  • Keep occupants calm, quiet and out of sight while taking adequate cover/protection (i.e. concrete walls, thick desks, and filing cabinets), cover may protect you.
  • Using cover, have occupants spread out as much as possible.
  • Silence all cell phones ringers.
  • Quietly notify the police.
  • Quietly discuss among those present a plan if the shooter is able to enter your area – think survival.

Securing in Area

If secure, stay at your location until instructed to leave and follow the instructions of the public safety officials.

Remember, in most cases the shooter will not stop until he/she is engaged by an outside force.

Attempts to rescue people should only be made if it can be accomplished without further endangering the persons inside a secured area.

Contacting Authorities

9-1-1 from a campus phone or (904) 620-2800 from a cell phone will place you in contact with UPD.

What to Report

  • Your specific location - building name and office/room number.
  • Number of people at your specific location.
  • Injuries - number injured, types of injuries.
  • Assailant’s location, number of suspects, race, gender, clothing description, physical features, types of weapon(s) (e.g. long gun or hand gun), backpack, shooter's identity if already known, etc.

Police Response

The primary objective is to immediately isolate/engage the assailant

Follow an officer’s directions and do not make immediate or quick movements, the officer is there to eliminate the threat and you do not want to be mistaken as being a threat.

Secondary objectives of the police are:

  • Evacuate Victims.
  • Facilitate medical care.
  • Secure Buildings.
  • Investigation.