A Better East Texas: Active shooters

EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Hardly a week goes by without a report of some kind of mass shooting in the US. Each one is a little different and the causes and potential remedies will be debated for the foreseeable future.

But, perhaps there is a slight change in the way we, as a society, react in these situations.

Law enforcement suggest all kinds of tactics if you find yourself in an active shooter situation, but a couple of main themes usually emerge. And that is flight or fight – get out, get away, remove yourself from the scene, or fight back.

That is exactly what two people did in the recent nightclub shooting in Colorado Springs where a gunman opened fire but, in less than minute, was disarmed by someone in the nightclub. Five people still died and at least 25 others were injured, but the gunman was disarmed and restrained by 2 people who decided to fight back, and it happened before police arrived. It is hard to fathom what anyone might do in that situation but some training, something, caused these heroes to act.

Sadly, just like we prepare with fire drills in school and emergency landings in air planes, we need to have active shooter preparedness and a plan of action. It doesn’t mean that everyone should run towards the shooter, but if put into a specific situation, we cannot just cower under desks and hope that death will pass us by. It probably won’t. Hopefully, we will never be in that situation, but being prepared could save lives.

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