It used to be that killers simply targeted the cause of their frustrations, but those days are long gone. With an increasing number of killers feeling victimized by the world, a growing trend among shootings is to commit mass shootings against innocent people in order to maximize the attention of the murder. How can you defend yourself amongst the defenseless?

Increasing Your Odds of Survival…
The number one thing a person can do is realize that the danger is real; this alone already puts you ten steps ahead of the rest of the public, because at the very least you will start to become a little bit more aware of your surroundings and the possible dangers that exist.
If you look at a vast majority of these shootings many of them have a couple things in common.
First, a vast majority of these shootings happen in what are known as gun-free zones. For me, I try not to frequent any establishment or area that limits my ability to defend myself. Most of these mass shooters want a large body count and they want easy victims; that’s the reason most of them target gun-free zones. They know they will meet little resistance.
Second, they tend to target events that will get the most media attention; large public events, grand openings, and opening night premiers are all higher-risk situations. I’m not saying you should live your life in fear, but you should be more alert in these types of situations.

If a shooting occurs what is the first thing a person should do?
The first thing you should do actually begins before the shooting ever takes place. Whenever I enter a new place, I make sure I know exactly where my exit points are; that way should something happen, I know right where to head once the danger strikes.

When should a person run vs fight back?
You always want to make escape your number one priority; fighting back is a last resort option, but an option you must be prepared for. Remember this isn’t the movies; all it takes is one bullet to end your life so escape is always the best option.

Should a person who decides to move to safety run as soon as the bullets start flying or hunker down and wait for an opportunity?
It really depends; it’s something that you’re going to have to decide at the moment, based on what’s going on – there really are too many variables to say for sure. But in general, hunkering down or sheltering in place is almost always a death sentence. I really hate when businesses or schools suggest that sheltering in place is an actual strategy for survival; it’s not!

If they decide to fight back, how do they identify their opportunity to strike?
Your best chance might be during a temporary pause, or when the gunman is reloading. It’s really going to depend on the situation, and you may never have a good window of opportunity. That means if you have no possible route of escape, you need to act. That is your window.

What should you teach kids to do if there is a shooting at their school?
I would tell them the same things as I would an adult; your best chance is to escape. I don’t care what policy the school has in place, if they tell your kids to shelter in place inside a classroom they are wrong, and I would have some serious doubts about sending my kid to that school.
If you have kids, point things out to them when you’re out in public. Teach them what to watch out for, where exits are when you enter a business, and encourage them to look around at the world. Make them put down the electronic devices! If your face is staring at your phone you’ll never see anything!

Conclusion
Avoid high profile events if possible
Know your exits whenever going someplace new
Practice situational awareness to get a gut feeling of any situation
If a shooting occurs evacuating the area should be a the priority
Fighting back or sheltering in place are distant second options but may be necessary
If you choose to fight back look for an opportunity where the attacker is distracted or reloading
If you choose to shelter in place find something solid (preferably concrete) that you can hide behind and call for help

With mass shootings on the rise, it looks as if this is the new world order of killings, for the time being. Avoid areas with large signs that advertise a gun-free zone; these are just giant bullseyes.

Place yourself in the head of a potential shooter–how would you attack? These are the thoughts that should be going through your head when in places of concern so that you know what you should be looking for.

This is an unfortunate truth of the world we live in today. If you would like to further educate yourself on this topic, check out The Bugout Bag Guide.