Step-by-Step Guide to Prevent Shootings and other Attacks

Researchers at the RAND Corporation developed a free, online tool that walks users through every step of preventing, preparing for, and responding to shootings and other mass attacks. It also includes links to funding sources, case studies, model programs, assessment tools, databases, and training guides.

As part of their work, the researchers didn’t just look at the deadliest shootings and ask what went wrong. They looked at would-be shootings that never made the news and asked what went right. In doing so they uncovered helpful and potentially actionable findings about each phase. In terms of prevention, of the 640 mass attacks and plots they examined, more than half were thwarted before anyone got hurt. And in two-thirds of those cases, it was because of a tip from the public. Yet previous research has shown that people are much more likely to try to talk to a potential shooter themselves or to do nothing than to call in a report. In terms of preparation, the study identified three additional steps potential targets can take to better protect people inside their buildings. They can ensure plenty of well-marked exits. They can provide longer walk-ups and controlled-entry areas, so people can see who’s coming. And like one high school, they can put locks on the doors. One study found that, as of 2017, no active shooter in the U.S. had successfully breached a locked door. Finally, in terms of response, they emphasize the steps “Run, Hide, and Fight” are, in order, the most effective ways to survive when a shooting starts and should be well-publicized. Their study also included 65 cases in which people fought back. In 85 percent of those cases, they stopped the gunfire or made the attacker flee. In 12 cases, people rushed the shooter from different directions – and in all 12 cases, they stopped the shooting. Read more and access the guide at the RAND Corporation.