AMU Homeland Security Opinion

Active Shooters and Protective Security

By William Tucker
At about 10:10 a.m. on January 8, a lone gunman opened fire on a town hall style meeting in Tucson, Arizona killing 6 and wounding another 13. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was severely injured in the attack while Federal Judge John Roll was killed. According to reports the shooting lasted for approximately twelve minutes before the suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, was tackled by a bystander and taken into custody. The exact motivation of the perpetrator in this attack has not been identified, but it is assumed at this point that Rep. Giffords may have been the prime target. Internet postings by the shooter and information gleaned from those who know Loughner suggest that he may have fixated on Giffords as early as 2007.


Active Shooters

The FBI and DHS define an active shooter as, “An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.”
As is often the case in attacks of this nature, Loughner exhibited signs that typically indicate he was prepared to act out violently. The Department of Homeland Security lists the following as indicators that someone may be heading down a violent path:
• Increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs
• Unexplained increase in absenteeism; vague physical complaints
• Noticeable decrease in attention to appearance and hygiene
• Depression / withdrawal
• Resistance and overreaction to changes in policy and procedures
• Repeated violations of company policies
• Increased severe mood swings
• Noticeably unstable, emotional responses
• Explosive outbursts of anger or rage without provocation
• Suicidal; comments about “putting things in order”
• Behavior which is suspect of paranoia, (“everybody is against me”)
• Increasingly talks of problems at home
• Escalation of domestic problems into the workplace; talk of severe financial problems
• Talk of previous incidents of violence
• Empathy with individuals committing violence
• Increase in unsolicited comments about firearms, other dangerous weapons and violent crimes
As a comparative example, Nidal Hasan, the Ft. Hood shooter, exhibited many of these symptoms just as Loughner did. For advice on responding to an active shooter you can view the entire DHS manual here.
Protective Security
Members of Congress are not afforded the same protection as the President because such a security apparatus is not feasible, but this doesn’t mean they have to be vulnerable. When a Congressional member is visiting their home state they will have to take security into their own hands and this likely includes making due with a small security force. Simple things such as hosting a venue indoors rather than outside allows a smaller security force to control access and get a good look at those attending. Front line responder training from DHS or security training from the Secret Service for congressional staffers is another method of preparing for active shooter situations. Even requests for a police car to be present at the event are enough to dissuade potential acts of violence. If police protection cannot be afforded then canvassing supporters for retired police or military may be a good substitute. Although it may sound counterintuitive, security forces do not always have to be armed to be effective. The Arizona shooting was eventually stopped by an unarmed bystander who tackled the shooter. All this being said, not every instance of violence can be prevented, but taking small precautions can have a positive mitigating effect when an incident does occur.

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