News release and photos from Bryan police:
Today at 6:00 a.m. the Bryan Police Department partnered with Premiere Cinema to host a joint active shooter training exercise.
The Bryan Police Department Tactical Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, Neighborhood Enforcement Team, Criminal Intelligence Unit, and support staff along with College Station’s Crisis Negotiation Team and members of the Brazos County Sherriff’s Department Negotiation Team responded to an active shooter scenario inside the theater where multiple actors and a police officer simulated injuries. When officers arrived the shooting had stopped, however, the shooter barricaded himself in a room with hostages.
The team’s goals were to secure the scene, save lives, and get medical treatment for those injured. These types of exercises allow us to familiarize ourselves with businesses and take a proactive approach. We critique each team to determine what things were done well and what things could have been improved upon.
We could not have done this training exercise without the help from Premiere Cinema in Bryan, and approximately 80 volunteers from Texas A&M University’s Chi Phi Fraternity, Delta Zeta Sorority and Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Community members can help prevent these types of situations by understanding the phases of an active shooter.
1.) Fantasy Stage
During this stage the shooter has daydreams of the shooting. He fantasizes about the news coverage. He idolizes other shooters. He might draw pictures of the event and make Web postings. They often discuss their desires with others. If news of these fantasies are shared with you, believe them and pass them on to law enforcement.
2.) Planning Stage
In this stage the suspect is deciding on the “who, what, when, where and how” for their day of infamy. They will put his plans down in writing. They often discuss these plans with others and sometimes seek out an accomplice. They plan the time and location to insure the most victims, or in some cases to target specific victims.
3.) Preparation Stage
During this stage the suspect may be obtaining gun powder for his improvised explosive devices. They might break into a relative’s house to steal some weapons and ammunition for the event. Active Shooters have been known to call friends and tell them not to go to school or work on the scheduled day of the attack in an effort to keep them out of the line of fire.
If someone calls police during one of these three phases, intervention may prevent the incident from ever occurring and lives could be saved.
4.) Approach Stage
This is a very dangerous stage where the suspect is ready to act and heading to the target location.
5.) Implementation Stage
Shooter has opened fire and immediate action is needed.
The sooner someone intervenes with an effective, efficient act of courage, the less casualties there will be. In past incidents, active shooters have been thwarted by police officers, security guards school teachers and students. One principal recently died successfully stopping an active shooter in a Wisconsin school. There is a risk in doing something, but the greatest risk lies in doing nothing.
Source site: Lt. Dan Marcou with Police One
