John Guidroz

Dozens of McNeese State University students and faculty heard from area law enforcement on Friday about how to protect themselves and others during a situation involving an active shooter.

Students were shown and took part in a demonstration where a shooter was disarmed and overpowered once he entered the room. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said the real first responders aren’t law enforcement, but those who encounter an active shooter at the start of the incident.

“With our community, it’s not if it’s going to happen; we have to prepare ourselves for when,” said Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Joshua Donovan.  

Sheriff’s Cmdr. James McGee mentioned an FBI study on 160 active shooter incidents that occurred in the U.S. from 2000 to 2013. They resulted in 486 deaths and 557 wounded victims. Nearly 70 percent of those situations ended in five minutes or less, and 60 percent ended before law enforcement arrived.

Unlike a hostage situation, McGee said law enforcement cannot bargain with active shooters because they are simply out to kill. He said active shooters usually have no exit plan or a desire to survive.

“Until they are stopped, they are not going to stop,” McGee said.

Donovan mentioned the 2015 shooting at the Grand Theater in Lafayette that left three dead, including the shooter. He said the shooter, John Russell Houser, visited movie theaters in Lake Charles and stayed in a nearby motel before the incident.

“That could have happened here,” Donovan said.

Those who freeze during an active shooter situation are the most likely not to survive, Donovan said. He stressed the importance of staying calm and quickly forming a plan for survival, either by fleeing the area, hiding or fighting the shooter.

He said people should know where the exits are in any building. Those who choose to hide in a room should have a plan in place, should the shooter be able to enter. Sr. Sgt. John Reddin mentioned turning off any lights to reduce visibility; hiding in a “hard corner” out of sight when the shooter enters; disarming and overpowering the shooter once he or she enters the room; and checking for any additional weapons.

“Hide and hope is not an option,” he said.

Reddin said any items that can disable a shooter should be used, ranging from a chair to a purse.

“It’s animalistic, but it’s survival,” he said.

Once people are safe, Reddin said they should call 911 and provide law enforcement with any information they can. That includes any description of the shooter or shooters, the number and types of weapons and location of any improvised devices.

Philip Petersen, a graduate assistant for McNeese’s Student Life Coalition, took part in the demonstration. He said events like these are necessary, considering how unpredictable active shooter situations can be.

“I understand that when it actually happens you have to have a very specific kind of response,” Petersen said.

Since the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School, McGee said law enforcement updated their training standards to better handle active shooters. He said the Sheriff’s Office takes an average of six minutes to respond to an active shooter situation, compared with the 10-minute average for law enforcement agencies nationwide.

When law enforcement arrive at the scene of an active shooter, McGee said they will not stop to answer questions. They will shout commands and may have to push people to the ground for safety. Pepper spray or tear gas may be used.

McGee said people who come in contact with law enforcement during an active shooter situation should raise their hands and keep them visible, be still, avoid quick movements and screaming, and follow orders.

Candace Townsend, McNeese public relations director, said there are two teams at the university to address active shooters. The Incident Management Team meets weekly to discuss active shooter situations and other related issues, including fires or explosions.

Students take part in a demonstration Friday at McNeese State University where a shooter was disarmed and overpowered once he entered the room. The demonstration was part of training offered by area law enforcement officials on how students and faculty can protect themselves and others during an active shooter situation.

Rick Hickman