Active Shooter

An active shooter is defined as someone who appears to be actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in populated areas on campus. Active shooter situations are dynamic and evolve rapidly, demanding immediate response by the community and immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to stop the shooting and prevent harm to the community. Be aware the 817-515-8911 and 911 system may become overwhelmed in the type of incident.

Read more about red flags, warning signs and other indicators associated with school shootings.

Police Protocol

If you witness any armed individual shooting at people on campus or hear gunshots, immediately contact the TCCD Police Dispatch at 817-515-8911. Provide the police dispatcher with as much information as you can. Do not hang up unless told to do so.

Officers from TCCD as well as from the surrounding city, county and state agencies will likely be the first responders on the scene. As police officers move into an affected area or facility, rescue efforts will be delayed until the shooter is located and stopped or no longer a threat to life safety.

If you are wounded or with someone who may be wounded, these officers will bypass you in their search, as they must find the shooter(s).

To assist police, please stay calm and patient during this time, to prevent any interference with police operations. If you know where the suspects are or have their descriptions, tell the police. Rescue teams will follow shortly to aid you and others.

If you encounter police, keep your hands empty and in plain view at all times. Do not speak to the officers until they speak to you. Listen to their instructions and do exactly what they say. If you are evacuating, carry nothing that could be mistaken for a weapon.

Rescue teams composed of other police officers with emergency medical assistance will follow shortly after the first responding officers enter the building. They will attend to the injured and remove everyone safely from the area or building.

What to do if the shooter is:

Outside the Building

  1. Turn off all the lights, close and lock all the windows and door.
  2. Get all occupants on the floor and out of the line of fire, if you can do so safely.
  3. Move to a core area of the building, only if safe to do so, and remain there until police give the "all clear" sign. Unknown or unfamiliar voices may be the shooter’s method of giving false assurance. Do not respond to command until you are certain a police officer issues them.

Inside the Building

  1. Escape the area via the nearest exit or window, only if it is safe to do so. Leave books, backpacks, purses, etc. in the room.
  2. Keep your hands above your head when you exit and listen for instructions that may be given by police officers outside.

If you cannot safely exit the building:

  1. Stay where you are and secure the door. If the door cannot be locked and the door opens in, use a door wedge or heavy furniture to barricade the door. Also cover any windows that may be in the door.
  2. Turn off the room lights.
  3. Lie on the floor or under a desk and remain silent.
  4. Wait for the police to come find you.

In Hallways or Corridors

  1. Get in a room that is not already secured and secure it.

Do not hide in restrooms or run through a long hall to get to an exit, as you may encounter the shooter.

In Large Rooms or Auditoriums

If the gunmen are not present:

  1. Move to and out of the external exits and toward the police unit.
  2. Keep your hands on your head.
  3. Do what the police tell you.

Inside the Room with You

There is no set procedure for this situation.

If possible, call 817-515-8911 and talk to the police dispatcher. If you cannot speak, leave the line open so police can hear what is going on.

Do not provoke the shooter(s).

If they are not shooting, do what they say and don't move suddenly.

If they start shooting, you need to make a choice:

  • Stay still and hope they do not shoot you
  • Run for an exit while zigzagging
  • Attack the shooter

The last two options can be very dangerous, but no more than doing nothing and dying in place. A moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one, and the last thing the shooter will expect is to be attacked by an unarmed person. Any option may still have a negative consequence.

This is not a recommendation to attack the shooter(s), but is instead a choice to fight when there is only one other option. Attempting to overcome the shooter(s) with force is a last resort that should be initiated only in extreme circumstances.

Additional Training

These educational videos are being provided to you, the members of our campus community family, as a means to empower you and make you mindful—not fearful—if ever encountering an active shooter situation, whether on or off campus.

These videos will open in a new window and will require your email login.

These videos are copyrighted material and may not be copied, reproduced or distributed in any manner without the expressed written permission of the owner/originator. Viewing these video presentations is possible only from within the TCCD computer network, which requires a logon. All copyright laws apply and will be strictly enforced.

Updated January 20, 2023