Preparing to Deal with Active Shooter Situation
K0STR – Active shooter situation is becoming more prevalent, Active shooter situation in Arvada in June, Arvada police did nothing wrong, they reacted as they were trained.
Three options in active shooter situation: Flee, Shelter in place or engage the shooter.
KE0LLH – Training with active shooters, 90% of an active shooter once engaged will either commit suicide or disengage.
K0STR – Dealing with cowards that want to instill fear in unarmed people. No personal courage themselves. What would you do among the 3 options.
Comment garbled station – Use any weapon you can get your hands on to engage. Very distorted hard to hear.
KF0DND – Attempt to find cover if he can, if not then make decision to use lethal force. Other than that need to do what the police tell you to do.
K0STR – Recap: Monday 6/21, at 1249 officers were called to suspects house during welfare check. No one home, cleared from location. At 1330 officer dispatched suspicious person call in Olde Town Arvada at 1331. Walked through ally, shooter pulled in behind patrol call, with shotgun, called to officer and was immediately shot twice by shotgun. Office never had opportunity to draw weapon. Shooter then shot out windows of vehicle of patrol vehicles. Then retrieved AR type weapon then ran back to town square. Person in surplus store of town square, confronted perpetrator and shot him.
Johnny Hurley picked up perps weapon. Officers mistakenly took him for bad guy and shot him.
Perp began day with the sole purpose of killing police officers What we have to decide is what we’re going to do personally. What will we do when we’re actually there.
Comment (Unknown station) – From law enforcement perspective, you should never touch a perp’s weapon, just kick it away. As defenders, if we wind up in situation, be ready to put down your own weapon, and never touch another weapon.
K0STR – Most everybody he knows carries a sidearm. Johnny Hurley probably didn’t think it through. Being civilians, we can flee, shelter in place and we can engage when practical. The police don’t have those options, they are trained to engage and cease the activities of the perp.
Also trying to cover Johnny Hurley, he did what he could do, but then made a bad decision. If from your choices, you choose to be a good guy and put down a bad guy, but be thinking about the police who are on their way or already there. Put your gun down, don’t touch another weapon, get down on your knees and put your hands in the air. Don’t do anything stupid.
KE0LLH – If you are concealed carry or open carry. If you are going to carry a firearm, practice, practice, practice. Know how to fix a combat jam, know how it functions. People don’t have enough training generally. You need to go to the range, learn the basics.
K0STR – Know your weapon. If you’re unfamiliar, stay away from semis, go with revolvers. Revolvers are coming back in style. A revolver is not going to jam, it’s going to shoot six times. You can never practice too much.
K7ASB – Has concealed carry permit. Agrees with everything that is being said so far.
K0AUK – Former infantry officer in Army. Much rather have AR type weapon in active shooter. But be aware of perception that different weapons have. Be very aware that when you pick up that type of weapon it looks a certain way. A revolver or small pistol might look a little more friendly.
KC0RAD – Very important that we study this topic. Need to make sure the perp is no longer a threat. When he carries concealed, he will run through scenarios in his head, what would he do.
Net – When he was a street officer, during non-active times, he would go through “what ifs” in his head. Think about these things: What would you do if…
KC0RAD – Encourage everybody to stay concealed carry, step things up. Cops may retire more and more so it’s more imperative that we carry.
Net – Doesn’t want to get too political. Apologizes for offending anyone, but has a lot of experience doing a lot of different things. Has been personally in an active shooter situation. Was close enough to perp to take gun away before perp was able to shoot anyone.
Have to protect our family. If we are going to carry, we take on the responsibility of protecting those around us.
Net – In research into Arvada incident. No one has mentioned what type of weapon Johnny was carrying, or many other details. What kind of sidearm did he have?
Comment – WN6OTO – Believe pulled a pistol from his waistband. Assuming it was a semi auto 9mm or similar, but not sure. Definitely a handgun.
Net – Good info for all us. Only criticism with Arvada police is that they are not putting out enough information. We have a right to know what happened.
Comment – KL7GLK We are not police officers, and you’re carrying that weapon for personal protection of yourself and your family. Very dangerous to engage like that. When you’re carrying, don’t assume you have this special police authority.
KC0BFO – Personally knew officer, Was a great man. He would ask questions later and shoot first, but if possible encounter officers first so they are aware that you’re willing to help if they cross paths.
WN6OTL – We have to prepare, true. But we also have to be prepared for the aftermath. Johnny, after he fired his weapon, went over to the perp, grabbed the weapon and held it up. Office saw him with rifle and shot him. But then you have to be prepared for what happens after that.
Net – Must point out that none of us were there, so we won’t know exactly what happened. But we need to think about it so if we are ever in that situation we have an idea of what to do.
KE0LLH – That’s where it all boils down to training. There are tons of concealed weapons training that teach you different scenarios, shooting scenarios with live weapon. Recommends that you carry insurance that goes along with it that will cover you legal wise. 95% of the time if you shoot someone you will go to jail. But it all boils down to training and make sure you know what you’re doing.
Net – The perps family will sue you because they can.
N0KMO – Definitely also get training. That’s what prepping is all about. Make sure paperwork is all in line. Make sure that you’re protected and they know what to do. Carrying is a big responsibility for everybody. Agrees with everything else. Could be sued both civilly and criminally. A lot to think about.
Net – Being a lawyer, there are good Samaritan laws in place in Colorado, but you don’t want to rely on them entirely. Need to make sure you have all your ducks in a row so you remain the good guy.
Comment KL7GLK – A shooting like this is a bigger than life event. You are going to enter into legal and political situations. Caution about entering in police type activity. If you get involved in a shooting it will be the biggest event in your life.
Net – Lots of good discussion, just need to think about these types of things and prepare ourselves for them.