ACTIVE SHOOTER

How to Respond
By:

ROMEO A. JACABAN, JR., LL.B

Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance Agent
Philippine Army Reservist (SN BE-T17-000151)
Close Protection Officer
Certified Security Professional
Certified Security Management Specialist
What is active
shooting?
Who is an active
shooter?
INITIAL RESPONSE
RUN
STAMPEDE
PANIC
 RESORTS WORLD MANILA INCIDENT
A little past midnight of 2 June 2017, Friday, gunshots were
heard and a fire was reported at the private luxury casino
Resorts World Manila; several people were reported injured.
This number would eventually rise to 37 guests and
employees dead from suffocation due to the fire, and at least
54 injured. No one died from gunshot wounds. The gunman,
who reportedly killed himself after the incident, is yet to be
identified, his motives for the attack yet to be determined
ACTIVE SHOOTER-An individual or
individuals actively engaged in killing or
attempting to kill people in a confined
and/or populated area. In most cases,
firearms are the weapon of choice during
mass casualty incidents but any weapon (such
as a knife, etc.) can be utilized to harm
innocent individuals and typically there is no
pattern or method to the selection of victims.
Recent cases of active shooting in the
country. One was the shooting in Kawit,
Cavite last January 4, 2013 that left 10
people dead and another 10 injured.
Another incident took place in a
courthouse in Cebu where a Canadian
expatriate killed two and injured one
before shooting himself dead.
PROFILE OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER
An active shooter is an individual engaged in killing or attempting
to kill people in a confined and populated area. In most cases,
active shooters use firearms and there is no pattern or method to
their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are
unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate
deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting
and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations
often are over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement
arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared mentally and
physically to deal with an active shooter situation.
What should we
do?
RUN?
HIDE?
FIGHT?
GENERAL PROCEDURES
 ALERT Use Plain and Specific Language. Avoid
code words.
The purpose of ALERT is to inform as many people as possible
within the danger zone that a potentially life threatening
situation exist. This can be facilitated via many different
methods (PA, text, email, personal senses). No matter the
method of delivery, the objective should be a conveyance of
information, not an issuance of a command.
The use of plain language, delivered through as many delivery
channels as possible, is the best way to ensure awareness within
the danger zone. It will empower as many as possible with the
ability to make an informed decision as to their best option that
will maximize survival chances.
 LOCKDOWN Barricade the room. Silence
mobile phones. Prepare to evacuate and counter if
needed.

Lockdown is an important response in the event of an active

shooter or violent intruder, but there has to be a semi secure
starting point from which survival decisions should be made.
INFORM Communicate the Shooters Location in
Real Time
Inform is a continuation of Alert and uses any means necessary to pass on real-
time information. Video surveillance, police assistance calls and PA
announcements are just a few of the channels that may be used by
employees, safety officers, and other personnel.
An emergency response plan should have clear methods outlined for
informing employees of whereabouts of a violent intruder. No one wants to
have to deploy such methods, but in the horrible event that an armed
intruder would enter a facility, emergency preparedness training could take
over.
Information should always be clear and direct and, as much as possible,
communicate the whereabouts of the intruder. Effective information can
keep the shooter off balance, giving people in the work place more time to
further lockdown, or evacuate to safety.
Active shooters work alone 98% of the time. If the shooter is known to be in
an isolated section of a building, occupants in other locations can safely
evacuate while those in direct danger can lockdown and prepare to counter.
Knowledge is the key to survival.
 COUNTER. Create Noise, Movement, Distance
and Distraction with the intent of Reducing the Shooters
Ability to Shoot Accurately.
Counter focuses on actions that create noise, movement, distance and distraction
with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Creating a
dynamic environment decreases the shooter’s chance of hitting a target and can
provide the precious seconds needed in order to evacuate.
It is not advisable to endorse civilians fighting an active shooter unless confronted
directly in a life-and-death situation. Counter is a last-ditch and worst-case
scenario option.
In the horrible event that an active shooter makes his or her way in the hotel, there
are steps that can be taken as an effort to survive an attack. With workplace
violence as a rising trend across the United States, this method is not limited to
preventing a school shooting.
Counter is about survival, the last barrier between a shooter and a potential
victim, and anything a person can to do gain control is acceptable. It’s the
opposite of being a sitting duck, and every action taken is a step towards
survival.
EVACUATE. When safe to do so,
remove yourself from the danger
zone
Our human instinct in the face of danger is to remove ourselves
from that threat.
An active shooter in a building presents a situation like no
other. Evacuating to a safe area takes people out of harm’s
way and hopefully prevents civilians from having to come
into any contact with the shooter.
RUN
(If there is an active shooter in your work place)
 If there is an escape path, attempt to evacuate
 Evacuate regardless whether others agree to
evacuate or not
 Leave your belongings behind
 Help others if possible
 Call police when you are safe
HIDE
(If evacuation is not possible)
 Lock and blockade the door. Move away from the
door and glass walls
 Silent you mobile phones and turn off vibrate
mode
 Hide behind large objects and if possible find
reinforced walls
 Do not trap or restrict your options for
movement
FIGHT
(As a last resort and only if your life is in
danger)
 Attempt to incapacitate the shooter
 Act with aggression
 Improvise weapons
 Don’t hesitate once you have committed
Shooter- a person who has a gun exposed or a person who is
about to discharge or discharging his firearm.
Safe zone-The following are designated as “safe zone” of Azalea
Residences:
a. Back alley
b. Comfort Rooms
c. Any rooms with assigned door locks and by barricading it.
In all cases:
During actual security intervention operation, if feasible, the
Executive on Duty, Chief Security Officer and Sierra 1 shall
use all peaceful means including the use of a megaphone or any
other similar means, to influence/warn the offender/suspect
to stop and/or peacefully give up.
 SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
(If the shooter is outside of the building) (CODE: BROKEN ARROW)
 If a person is seen with a gun/rifle in his hand, the first person in
contact shall immediately inform Charlie Base.
 Charlie Base shall then inform MOD and alert CSO.
 Upon advise by CSO, MOD shall inform Charlie base to call police
assistance
 Sierra 5 / PRs / Sierra 3 shall closely monitor his movements and
activities if within range of sight.
 Update MOD and CSO thru radio of the real time location and
activity of the person with gun.
 After receipt of the information, Sierra 1 shall immediately proceed to
lobby main entrance ready to seal the entry point if the threat is
possible to enter inside the building.
 Upon assessment by CSO that the person with gun posses a clear and
present danger to hotel’s security, he shall immediately advice EOD to
execute “operation crash the building”. (CODE CRASH)

a. Upon instruction thru radio, head concierge, sierra 1,

bellmen, doormen and Bar Captain shall immediately proceed to hotel
main lobby entrance.
b. Seal off the main portals by barricading it with heavy furniture
including the adjacent windows. If chain lock is readily available, use it.
No guests, employees, contractors and visitors allowed to leave or
enter hotel premises.
c. FOS shall guide all guests and employees at the main lobby to
proceed to the “safe zone”.
d. Sierra 4 shall direct guests and employees at the tent area and
Tradisyon to the “safe zone”. Thereafter Sierra 4 together with the
Chef, kitchen supervisor and team leader blockade the back entrance
and glass windows with heavy furniture.
 e. Charlie base shall closely monitor the activities of the
person with gun at the CCTV monitor and from time to time
update EOD and CSO.
f. At the “safe zone” crowd control team shall immediately
segregate guests from employees and thereafter conduct head
count.
g. Medical team shall attend immediately to guests or
employees in need of medical assistance.
h. Search and rescue team shall be divided in 5 groups. They
shall be deployed respectively at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th floors.
They shall safely monitor the floors and advice guests to return to
their respective room until the crisis ends.
i. Sierra 3, Fire Fighting Team, butchery staff shall guide and
lead guests and employees to the safe zone. They shall inform the
offices to proceed at the safe zone and lock down.
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
(Man with gun inside the building)
 If a person is seen with a gun/rifle in his hand, the first person
in contact shall immediately inform Charlie Base.
 Charlie Base shall then inform MOD and alert CSO.
 Upon advise by CSO, MOD shall inform Charlie base to call
police assistance
 CSO/Sierra 1 shall immediately monitor the movement and
activities of the person with gun.
 If upon the assessment of CSO that the person with gun possess
a clear and present danger to the guests’ and employees’
security, he shall advice EOD to execute CODE CRASH.
 Do not risk your life. Dock and cover in a place where the person with gun
is less likely to find you. If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide.
 All employees at the back office shall barricade the office. Employees at
Tradisyon shall likewise barricade their entrances and shall assist guests to
the “safe zone”.
 All employees at parking basement shall proceed immediately to the “safe
zone”.

The use of force by CSO, especially with the use of firearms, shall be applied
only as a last resort when all other peaceful and non-violent means have
been exhausted or when such is the only necessary and reasonable force
sufficient to conduct self-defense, defense of a stranger and/or
subdue/overcome the clear and imminent danger posed or resistance being
put up by a malefactor or group shall be applied.