Res19 15781 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

D.1 Active Shooter/Violent Intruder An active shooter/violent intruder event is an incident in which a person (or less commonly, multiple people) is actively killing or attempting to kill people within a specific area. The perpetrator(s) may use firearms, bladed weapons, explosives, or other weapons to carry out the attack. Situation and Assumptions The perpetrator may or may not have a connection to the selected location. In most cases, the perpetrator selects victims randomly rather than targeting specific individuals. Active shooter/violent intruder events may occur anywhere, although they are more common in offices, institutions (e.g. schools or hospitals), malls or other major commercial centers, and public gathering spaces. Active shooter/violent intruder events can be over very quickly, often 10 to 15 minutes, and approximately half of such incidents are resolved by the time emergency responders arrive. Less commonly, an active shooting/violent intruder incident may develop into a hostage situation. Some active shooter/violent intruder events may be considered acts of terror. According to a study of active shootings/violent intruder events involving firearms in the U.S., active shooting/violent intruder incidents most commonly end when the attacker commits suicide (40%), or law enforcement officers kill or subdue the attacker (29%). Some attacks end when the victims kill or subdue the attacker (19%). In more rare instances, the attacker may surrender to law enforcement (7%) or attempt to flee (5%). Note that in cases where the perpetrator committed suicide, 62% did so before law enforcement arrived. An active shooter/violent intruder event may cause one or more of the following direct impacts on Redwood City: • Substantive injuries or death to community members. • Property damage, including potentially significant damage if explosives were involved. • Road congestion from the need to establish barricades for the purpose of isolating the scene of the incident. Concept of Operations Active shooter/violent intruder events primarily fall under the purview of the Redwood City Police Department. The Police Department, and other City departments that may need to be involved, may be able to act independently within their normal operating procedures to respond to the active shooter/violent intruder incident. Depending on the scope and other characteristics of the incident, the response may require central coordination, leading to the activation of the EOC. If the EOC is activated, response activities will be guided by the EOP. The EOC, if activated, will be responsible for primary direction and control for the duration of the event. Refer to the Concept of Operations section in the Basic Plan for general information about the role of the EOC. D-2