Ever since becoming a police officer more than 10 years ago,it has been my personal and professional goal to prepare myself to effectively respond to such an event. I have also made it point to receive instructor-level training so I can help others to effectively respond as well.

It is my goal to share some of these lessons with each of you. But before I do, I must provide a disclaimer. Everything that I share here is available through open sources such as the internet if one is inclined to do the research so I am NOT providing information that will help out any potential attacker. [FULL PFD FILE] - [STORY]

Know Escape Routes

There are three things to consider at all times no matter where you are, the first of which is knowing escape routes. When I walk into a venue or building,especially if it is for the first time, the first thing that I look for is escape routes. Beating feet away from the attack site may be the best option for you and your family. Once you clear the attack site, keep going. Don’t hang around a parking lot near the attack or try to get to your car right away. You can go back for it later because secondary attacks and/or devices are fairly common.

Once you and your family are safely away from the attack site completely, then you can call the police for help if you need to. If it appears that the police are either already on-scene or on their way there, then please DON’T call 911 at this time unless you and/or someone who you are with are severely injured. It’s obvious that the authorities are already aware of the attack at that point and the emergency call system is more than likely bogged-down with a plethora of calls related to the incident. In most cases, if you have any details that you think is pertinent to the attack that you just escaped from, then you can call the police later.

Knowing and choosing escape routes ahead of time will quicken your response time should an event occur. Many times, drawings with fire escape routes and tornado shelter areas are clearly posted when you walk into a building. Make it point to find the drawings and take the time to look at them.

For CCW holders, escaping such an event may sound counter-intuitive. It actually was forme for the first few years that I was an officer. I mean, I was armed and had a badge so I was “duty-bound”to react to such an event, even off-duty. But, there are some other considerations that I have come to realize,such as being mistaken as one of the attackers by responding officers and possibly drawing the attacker(s) fire towards me while my family is with me. I may only be able to run as fast as an 8-year-old boy because that is how old my youngest is and if my family is with me during such an event, they are my first priority, just as yours should be to you.

Cover and Concealment

The next things that I try to always look for are cover and concealment. Some people assume that these two things are identical, or at least somewhat interchangeable, but they are NOT! Cover will protect you from bullets and shrapnel while concealment may only hide your presence.

I try to look for such things as heavy desks or tables,concrete planters or heavy shelving that is full of items. Other options may include door jambs and the corners of hallways. These are usually reinforced with concrete, metal and wood so they may provide some good cover and even if it is not ideal, it is better than standing out in the open.

While I stated earlier that escaping the situation will most likely be your safest option, if you are “ground zero” when the attack occurs then you may not have time. You may have to seek cover and whether the initial storm before you can escape. Also, if you are armed and choose to return fire, you are much safer to do so from behind cover. This MAY also help to protect you once law enforcement arrives as you can re-secure your weapon or put it down while still being protected behind cover and not standing out in the open.

Improvised Weapons

The third thing to consider is improved weapons. You may be in a venue or building where carrying a firearms just isn’t an option. I usually refer to these “gun-free” zones as “target-rich environments”for would-be attackers.

Common items found in many places that can serve as improvised weapons are heavy glassware, such as liquor bottles and shot glasses, handles from mops and brooms, the long rods used to hang clothes in a closet or on a display rack, and fire extinguishers, just to name a few.

Depending on the venue, even if you cannot carry a firearm,you may be able to possess pepper spray, a knife and/or a flashlight. It is up to you to know what you can and cannot carry based on your location as well as how to properly and effectively use each tool.

If you choose to fight back during any kind of attack,whether with a firearm, with some other weapon, or empty-handed, YOU MUST BE COMMITTED TO YOUR COUNTER-ATTACK 100%. You can’t initially counter the attacker meekly and then just give up if it doesn’t work right away. Murphy’s Lawmay appear so you have to be committed no matter what.

The most advantageous times for you to counter-attack are when the attacker’s attention is focused away from you, when he is reloading and/or when he trying to fix a malfunction. This is whether you have a firearm or not, but especially if you don’t.

Flashlight EDC

As I stated previously, you may be able to carry a small flashlight in areas where you cannot carry any other weapon options. So, a quality LED flashlight should be a vital part of your EDC (every day carry).

When it comes to choosing a defensive flashlight, I look for three things: sturdy, steel construction, the highest lumens possible, and sharp/scalloped edges around the hozel (or head) of the light. The quality steel construction along with the scalloped edges allows the light to be used as an effective close-quarters striking option using a hammer-fist strike while the hozel is sticking out of the bottom of your fist.

A high-lumens LED light gives you the option of at least attempting to disrupt an attacker during any kind of attack by simply shining it in his eyes. But, another benefit is some of these lights are capable of penetrating smoke enough that you may be able to locate people or escape routes quicker. We know that the attacker in Colorado did set off some kind of smokedevice just prior to his attack. I wonder if some people would have been able to get out of the theatre quicker if they would have had such a light with them.

As I continue to pray for the victims of this horrendous attack, I also pray that each of you will never have to live through such an experience. But, just in case you do,keep these considerations in mind. Also,if you carry a firearm, please practice often and get quality training. You never know, you may be the one that has the opportunity to stop such an attack.