An active shooter is a person who is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. An active shooter can strike anytime, anywhere, or anyone. Most active shooter situations only last 10-15 minutes. This is why it’s critical you act quickly and effectively. Today is the day to decide what you will do in an active shooter situation. Where will you exit? Where will you hide if you can’t exit? Deciding today what your options are will enable you to react quickly and effectively.
Guidance to faculty, staff, and students
In general, how you respond to an active shooter will be dictated by the specific circumstances of the encounter, bearing in mind there could be more than one shooter involved in the same situation. If you find yourself involved in an active shooter situation, try to remain calm and use these guidelines to help you plan a strategy for survival.
Run
- Have an escape route and plan in mind.
- Leave your belongings behind.
- Prevent others from entering the area.
Hide
- Hide in an area out of the active shooter's view.
- Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors.
- Silence your cell phone and any other electronics.
Fight
- As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
- Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter.
- Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter.
How to respond when law enforcement arrives
- Remain calm and follow officer's instructions.
- Put down any items in your hands (e.g. jackets, bags, etc.)
- Immediately raise your hands and spread your fingers.
- Keep hands visible at all times.
- Avoid quick movements towards officers and do not hold on to them for safety.
- Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating.
Information you should provide to police
- Location of the shooter(s)
- Number of shooter(s)
- Physical description of shooter(s)
- Number and type of weapons held by the shooter(s)
- Number of potential victims at your location
Alert message
Upon learning of an active shooting incident, OUPD will send an alert message giving instructions to the registered faculty, staff, and students. For more information on the alert system or to register for messages, visit oupolice.com/em/alerts.
Prevention
If you hear or see something that may lead to an active shooting or otherwise violent situation, please contact us. Trust your gut feeling. The life you save could be your own.