Being Safe in an Active Shooter Situation

During this past weekend, (March 2nd, 2025), the NCA All-Star National Championship took place, and a traumatizing incident took place. First off, the NCA’s, founded in 1948, the is the pioneering organization to organize cheer camps, offering cheerleaders a chance to develop their skills under experienced coaches, master new techniques, and compete with other schools in dance, jumps, tumbling, and stunting. This year, disaster struck, as two parents who got in an argument began fighting, around 1 P.M, according to Dallas police. The fight resulted in multiple poles falling down beside them, and many people around them thought the loud noise was gunshots. The terrifying sounds had stampedes of people running, as the event was expected to bring about 58,000 people to the area, with 30,000 of them being cheerleaders.  Ten people were brought to the hospital for various injuries, like scratches, bumps, bruises, and even some fractures, but thankfully nothing too serious. Regardless if the incident was a shooting or not, it was incredibly scary for everyone involved, and it’s important to know what to do in the situation where there is a shooter.

Keeping Safe

As the United State’s Department of Homeland security says: the most important things to be aware of in a shooting situation is: your environment, the two nearest exits, being in a safe room (not a hallway), and in a last resort situation; consider taking the shooter down. But above all else, call 911 when it is safe to do so. Responding in situations like this is often difficult, as you might not know what your next move is, but it’s important to stay calm. First, find a way to evacuate if possible, regardless if others are doing so or if it means you have to leave your belongings behind. If evacuation isn’t possible, begin barricading your door with anything heavy to prevent the shooter from entering. After barricading your room, hide somewhere out of the shooter’s line of sight. Once you are safe, call 911, and provide them with this information: location of shooter, number of shooters, physical description of shooter/s, number and type of weapons held by the shooter/s, number of potential victims at the location. When law enforcement arrives, it is especially important to remain calm, and ready to respond to their questions. Follow their directions, that usually means to place down all items you have on you, raise your hands above your head, and just stay relatively calm and quiet. It is important to not remain calm and not feel threatened by the police officers, as they might be shouting commands or pulling out weapons for the safety of everyone involved. There are also precautions you should avoid when law enforcement arrives, including: “Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety… do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating, just proceed in the direction from which officers are entering the premises” (US Dept. of Homeland Security, 2008). Overall, remain calm and clear headed to the best of your abilities, as this situation is incredibly stressful. As terrifying as it is, it is important to keep prepared and ready just in case this arises to you.

Watch Ohio State University’s plan and tips to surviving an active shooter here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z9zkU--FLQ