Active Shooter Response with Family Member's Gunshot Wound: Staying Behind Cover
Rob PincusDescription
On the range, two students role play being under attack in a public environment. It’s important to understand that in this situation, if one person receives a gunshot wound, the other’s priority should be getting behind cover, not rushing to aid the injured person and possibly also being shot. From behind cover, the uninjured person can potentially address the threat if it is visible, or encourage the family member with the gunshot wound to get behind cover, and then render first aid.
Come on, John. Yeah. Come on. Arg! Darc! Give me your belt. John, come here! John! Over here, however you got to do, get over here. Jeez! John, come on. Come back behind here, come on. All right, and Darc, just take a step to your left, and go to your holster. Cool. Appreciate you guys role playing that. Again, this kind of activity is exactly what we need to do to prepare for that worst case scenario in a public environment, with a family member. If you find yourself in an active shooter situation, in other words you find yourself the victim, or a family member the victim of an attack in a public space. Again, just like this range, of course, which we are pretending is a parking lot. As you're approaching your vehicle, you're a few steps ahead of someone in your family, or maybe just a bystander. Somebody else who happens to be in the area and shots ring out. You have your normal human reaction, you go to your gun, you go to the ready position, and you see that family member out there. Just like Darcy did. She turned around, she saw her friend John over there on the ground. He had been hit, he was calling for help. In that moment, in the heat of that moment, the natural emotional human response is gonna be to rush out there and try to help them. Well we don't want to try to be that hero, running out there, grabbing that person and dragging them to presumed safety, if by running out here we actually expose ourself to the danger. Now in a situation where you see the threat, you're right here, the threat's right there, the threat's over here, wherever it is. Of course you'd address the threat. But if you don't know where the threat is, and you're here behind cover, you're behind at least concealment. You have to figure the shot came from over in this direction. Maybe the person is telling you that there's a shooter out there. You're looking through your concealment, you're looking through those windows, you can't see the person. You can't do anything except remind that person if they can, get to safety. Whether they have to crawl, drag, whatever it is they have to do. Maybe you're going to take off your belt and throw it to them and give them the instructions and tell them how to put the tourniquet on. Maybe you're going to take off your shirt and give it to them and tell them to use it as a compression bandage. But if you expose yourself to that danger, if you end up getting shot too, you're not really helping anybody. Think about it ahead of time. That's the reason you watch these training videos, that's the reason you talk about this stuff with your family. Think about what you would do. You're behind cover, you might be able to stop the threat if they appear. But you don't know where they are, and that person is completely capable of crawling over to you. Call them over. Encourage them to take themselves out of the fight. Get themselves over here behind cover, and then you can start applying first aid, or addressing a threat, as appropriate.
If the injured person is unable to reach cover, you could possibly back the vehicle between them and the shooter (being careful not to run the injured person over).
Thought decision to leave one injured on the battlefield. There is no spot on answer. As a 30 year police officer from the Los Angeles area this was an issue that always confronted us. Espically since I worked very closely with a group of guys on an entry team. We all agreed that we'd never leave one behind. I thank God we never has to test our resolve. With a family member one has to also consider if you go to their aid before stopping the threat and your family member takes more rounds and you survive can you live with the decision.
I love this site with everyone contributing. I have sometimes learned more from reading the responses. I have to sometimes go in confined underground spaces and I have been told over and over again if someone is in trouble under no circumstances go after them. Then they read cases of others who went in after and themselves ended up dead. I agree with everyone above, Jean, Grant, Chris that it is great advice but hard to follow but we must. Yes like was said above, "train,train, train."
Excellent points Jean and Grant. You do have to fight that natural, family-care reaction, and do what is best in the situation. Search on the web for TCCC Tactical Combat Casualty Care - and read about "Care Under Fire". Then train, train, and train some more! You can even train in your own driveway (just don't take your gun out there, or the busy-body neighbor will call the cops about the terrorist on her street!).
I agree with Jean. I'd really have to fight the natural urge to help my family member or friend. Good message - seek cover, assess, think, then act.
Wow! I am just not sure I could do that: go to cover after a family member is shot. But I do see the purpose in it. If I rush to help my loved one or an injured stranger and end up shot too, I do neither of us any good. Tough, tough decision and one that truly comes up against the natural human reaction to render aid. I hope, if I'm ever in such a situation, that I will do the best thing for everyone involved.