America’s Active Shooter Crisis Demands Visionary Leadership

America’s culture of violence is continually manifested through horrific active shooter tragedies.

Violence is a reality of American life. Companies, schools, campuses, houses of worship, communities, and public gatherings throughout the nation are potential targets.

Visionary leadership is critical from law enforcement, private security professionals, government officials, property managers, and all responsible for safeguarding individuals entrusted to their care.

There must always be shared responsibility with all members of the community. Every person privileged to call America home must also be vigilant, and always aware of their surroundings.

Active Shooter Definition

As defined by the Department of Homeland Security: “An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.”

Alarming Statistics: U.S. Mass Shooter Tragedies / Gun Violence: Jan 1 – June 14, 2022

•        267 Mass Shooting Incidents    

•        14 Mass Murder Incidents

•        163 Children Killed: Younger than 11 years-old

•        338 Children Wounded

•        583 Teens Killed: 12 – 17 years-old

•        1,544 Teens Wounded [i]

American Mass Shootings: Deadliest Days

Some of the deadliest mass shooting tragedies have taken place in 2022 as indicated by the following:

·         On May 14, 2022 a gunman shot 13 people, killing 10, at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Law enforcement quickly informed the public that it was racially motivated.

·         On May 24, 2022, only ten days later, another gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. There were 19 children and 2 adults killed. It was the 27th school shooting of 2022.

Additional deadliest single day mass shootings in modern U.S. history crystalize the scope of the crisis.

·         October 1, 2017 – 58 killed and over 800 injured when a deranged gunman opens fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gunfire was sprayed for approximately ten to fifteen minutes upon a crown of about 22,000 concertgoers.

·         June 12, 2016 – 49 killed and over 50 wounded when a gunman opens fire inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

·         April 16, 2007 – 32 students and faculty killed and numerous others injured at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

·         December 14, 2012 – twenty children, ages six and seven, and six adult staff and faculty were shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

·         November 5, 2017 – 25 people as well as an unborn child were shot dead, and twenty others wounded inside a small church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

·         October 16, 1991 – 23 people are shot dead inside Luby’s Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas.

·         July 18, 1984 – 21 adults and children are killed inside a McDonald’s in San Ysidro, California.

·         August 1, 1966 – 18 are killed including an unborn child and at least 30 are wounded at the University of Texas in Austin. The shooter also killed his wife and mother earlier in the day.

·         February 14, 2018 – 17 are shot dead by a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

·         December 2, 2015 – 14 are killed by a married couple during a holiday season employee gathering at Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. [ii]

Dedication, Competence, Discipline

Throughout my career, I have conducted hundreds of walkthroughs at sites to assess security. After many of these walkthroughs, my responsibility was to develop post orders for security personnel, action plans, and emergency contact information.

Despite the importance of these procedures for protecting life and property, the deficiencies at many sites were often conspicuous.

The possibility of an emergency is always a reality, whether it be man-made or natural, and leadership must always be built of the pillars of dedication, competence, and discipline.

Practical Preparedness Tips

Continuous active shooter tragedies remind us that incidents can happen any place and any time.

There are steps that can be taken to prevent the threat.

The proactive mindset of preparedness includes the mantra, “if you see something, say something.” It also involves action plans at sites including schools, campuses, houses of worship, and workplaces.

Visionary leadership must also ensure training, plans, and drills are implemented if they do not exist, and there is continual and effective ongoing training.

Situational awareness is also critical as one must always know exits whenever visiting facilities, malls, theaters, or public places.

Survival Protocols

According to the FBI, the three options for survival during an incident are as follows:

RUN. Getting away from the shooter or shooters is the top priority. Leave your things behind and runaway. If safe to do so, warn others nearby. Call 911 when you are safe. Describe each shooter, their locations, and weapons.

HIDE. If you can’t get away safely, find a place to hide. Get out of the shooter’s view and stay very quiet. Silence your electronic devices and make sure they won’t vibrate. Lock and block doors, close blinds, and turn off the lights. Don’t hide in groups— spread out along walls or hide separately to make it more difficult for the shooter. Try to communicate with police silently—like through text messages or by putting a sign in an exterior window. Stay in place until law enforcement gives you the all clear.

FIGHT. Your last resort when you are in immediate danger is to defend yourself. Commit to your actions and act aggressively to stop the shooter. Ambushing the shooter together with makeshift weapons such as chairs, fire extinguishers, scissors, and books can distract and disarm the shooter.

During and after an incident it is always essential to follow the instructions of law enforcement. First-Aid classes should also be taken to learn skills that can save lives.

Responsibility of Elected Officials

We must also demand that our elected officials, whom we have entrusted with the health, safety, and welfare of our communities, provide the necessary visionary leadership to enact laws to protect society.

Sensible gun laws are required, without the continuous lame excuses, outlandish interpretation of the 2^nd Amendment, and misunderstanding of the importance of “well-regulated.”

Individuals who have nefarious intentions, or whom are not mentally qualified must not be enabled to purchase weapons without comprehensive background checks, training, certifications and licensing.

Final Reflections

America’s flag continues to fly at half-staff too often due to violent rampages against the innocent.

Visionary leadership must inspire vigilance and collaboration to prevent violence. We must have the determination, commitment, and courage to protect ourselves and others.

Training initiatives, security assessments, sound security measures, building police-community partnerships, professional security personnel, and responding effectively to warning signs are critical safeguards against active shooter tragedies.

These pillars must be inseparable from securing our communities against mass shooting tragedies and essential to reawakening the nation.

Published as the featured article in The Chief of Police, Official Publication of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Oct. 27, 2022.  Bove has authored 18 hard copy cover stories for the magazine, with his articles appearing on a quarterly basis uninterruptedly since 2010.

About the Author

Reawakening America LLC / About the Founder  

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with over 300 published works. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries. He is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award and former confident of the New York Yankees.  Vincent is co-founder of Global Security Resolutions, and served as spokesperson for a coalition of Virginia Tech tragedy families of victims. He has 18 cover stories for The Chief of Police.

For twenty years, Vincent has served as a Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, Certified Police Training Commission Instructor, Crime Prevention Practitioner, and USDOJ Certified Community Anti-Terrorism Instructor Trainer.  He is currently a State of New Jersey / Division of State Police SORA Instructor, licensed for ten years.  

Related Coverage:

St. Louis School Shooter: America’s Culture of Violence Demands Visionary Leadership

America's Mass Shooter Crisis Demands Police-Community Unity

American School Violence Demands Moral Courage 

19 Children, 2 Adults Killed: America’s Culture of Violence and Failure of Leadership

Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention

America’s Schools: Security, Character, Academics

American School Violence Tracker: Awareness and Prevention

Resources: www.vincentbove.com or twitter@vincentjbove

Vincent J. Bove has conducted keynotes, presentations, and training throughout the United States. This partial client list in his home state of New Jersey reflects a microcosm of his programs on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and public safety nationwide:

Ø  The Southern New Jersey Prosecutor’s School Security Conference 

Ø  Bergen County Education Association Conference in partnership with the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bergen County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Saint Peter's College 

Ø Port Authority Police Academy  

Ø Joint Base McGuire-Dix, Department of the Air Force

Ø  New Jersey Education Association

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Police Department - extensive domestic violence, school violence and community policing presentations, including Community Policing Summit in partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center

Ø  Tenafly Public Schools

Ø  West Milford Public Schools

Ø  Monmouth University

Ø  The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Ø  Cinnaminson Township Public Schools

Ø  Wood-Ridge Public Schools

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Fort Lee Public Schools

Ø  Morris County Professional Counselors Association

Ø  Fairleigh Dickinson University

Ø  North Bergen Board of Education

Ø  Union City Board of Education

Ø  Rebeka Verea Foundation

Ø  Bergenfield Public Schools

Ø  New Jersey School Boards Association

Ø  New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association

Ø  Morris County Council of Education Associations

Ø  Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute

Ø  New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police

Ø  New Jersey City University  

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Administrators

Ø  West New York Board of Education

Ø  Carlstadt Public Schools

Ø  Livingston Police Department

Ø  New Milford Board of Education

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Business Officials

Ø  North Jersey Regional Crime Prevention Officers Association (board member)

Ø  New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association

Ø  FBI, Newark Field Division - numerous presentations including Fort Monmouth Military Base, Fort Dix Military Base, the Newark Field Office, the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the FBI Academy Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar graduation keynote at Princeton University, and their management retreat in Atlantic City, NJ.  

Ø  Jersey City Police Department, East District (numerous domestic violence, school violence, workplace violence keynotes & leadership keynote in partnership with cadets of the United States Military Academy on Ellis Island)

Ø  DARE NJ

Ø  River Vale Police Department Youth Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Teaneck Police Department

Ø  Essex County Police Chiefs Association 

Ø Essex County Police Academy Graduation Keynote 

Ø Essex County Crime Prevention Officers Association

Ø Passaic Arts and Science Center

Ø Northern Highlands Regional High School

Bove has also served the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association as liaison on issues including ethical leadership and violence prevention for 20 consecutive years. He shares monthly remarks to 75 - 100 members of the association including police chiefs from over 70 departments, the FBI, the NYPD, the Port Authority Police Department, associates, and affiliates.

Photos:

1.     Uvalde Memorial Site, (Credit U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Public Domain)

2.     Washington DC Vigil for Pulse Nightclub Victims, June 13, 2016. (Credit Ted Eytan, Creative Commons Attribution)

3.     Sandy Hook Memorial, Dec. 26, 2012. (Credit Bbjeter, Creative Commons Attribution)

4.     Run, Hide, Fight (Courtesy FBI)

5.     NYPD, Radio City Music Hall, NYC, Apr. 27, 2013 (Reawakening America LLC, Photo by Vincent J. Bove) This photo was published by The Chief of Police with Oct. 27, 2022 article by Bove titled "America's Active Shooter Crisis Demands Visionary Leadership."

 6.  Vincent J. Bove testimonials including FBI, law enforcement, West Point, Columbia and Monmouth Universities, School Districts.

---

[i] https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

[ii] https://www.businessinsider.com/deadliest-mass-shootings-in-us-history-2017-10

St. Louis School Shooter: America’s Culture of Violence Demands Visionary Leadership

On Oct. 24, 2022, a 19-year-old gunman killed two people and wounded several others at his former St. Louis school.

As with other school violence rampages, he had documented his nefarious intention, a note of his struggles.  According to St. Louis Police, this had led to “the perfect storm for a mass shooter.”

The St. Louis Police Commissioner stated that the killer had come to the school with an AR-15 style rifle. He also stated that he had over 600 rounds of ammunition, and more than a dozen high capacity magazines.

Additional details will be revealed by authorities as the investigation continues, but for now a review of my recent remarks to law enforcement and community leaders deserves attention.

School Violence Warning Signs through the Prism of Uvalde’s Tragedy.

On Thursday, September 15, 2022, I addressed 75 police chiefs and associate members of the Bergen
County Police Chiefs Association (BCPCA) at their monthly meeting.

It has been my privilege to share remarks to the BCPCA on a monthly basis for the past twenty years as their liaison for issues on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis management.

Today’s event took place at the Old Tappan Manor in Old Tappan, New Jersey. 

My remarks were titled School Violence Warning Signs through the Prism of Uvalde’s Tragedy.

Since this meeting coincided with the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, I felt the importance of focusing on school violence prevention, particularly related to warning signs.

Just prior to the summer break, on May 24, 2022, one of the nation’s most horrific acts of school violence took place.  The event at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas once again crystalized our nation’s tragic culture of violence.

My remarks began with these reflections from a published report titled What Made Ramos Kill.  The report was modified and abbreviated as follows:

Let’s look at the life of the Uvalde Killer, a 18-year-old high school student who killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. His life can be examined through a prism of missed warning signs:  

The killer's father was absent physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. His mother had a substance abuse problem and was overwhelmed with an increasingly violent child. So she pawned her son off to grandparents who were seemingly unable to impose authority, or to get the right help from an outside source. Without intervention, his incorrigible tailspin continued.

It seemed he was falling apart mentally as his alarming conduct escalated.  Soon his physical appearance became disheveled.  Red warning lights were flashing everywhere. He cut his face up with a knife for fun. He talked about how much he enjoyed cutting himself.  

He was obsessed with guns and violence.  He posted pictures of automatic weapons, and videos online of himself with guns and knives, as well as videos of himself boxing and training to fight.

Law enforcement was often called to his house because of his out of control behavior.

He showed disdain for women, and often sent them negativistic and perverse texts. He communicated, "some women deserved to be raped."  His bizarre behavior and depraved expressions gained him the online nickname "school shooter."  Moreover, he regularly joked about rape, kidnapping, and murder.  He hated his parents; and posted a video of himself lashing out obscenities at his mother.

He wore all black, became disheveled, and walked around in combat boots. He posted a video of him screaming obscenities at his mother.

Yet, no one intervened. No one acted to apprehend him or to provide any viable means of correction.

No one intervened. No one acted to control him or provide the structure desperately needed. He hated his parents and at the world and he wanted to lash out in any way, no matter how horrific.

Eventually, he found a way to receive national attention. He entered a school and shot and killed 19 school children and 2 teachers who tried to protect the children.  Their families must now deal with the loss.  And the community of Uvalde can look back with hindsight and see the impact of disregarding the many glaring warning signs that led to this tragedy.

What Made Ramos Kill

Listen To Their Cries – Early Warning Signs

My remarks continued with the highlighting of Early Warning Signs as published in my book titled Listen To Their Cries.

These warning signs were originally published in the government booklet Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. 

The booklet was published by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).  The USDOE provided thousands of copies to me for my presentations nationwide after the 1999 Columbine tragedy.  

In my opinion, this booklet is a treasure of prevention for school violence that unfortunately is still not as valued or understood as it should be.

As noted in the booklet, and also in Listen To Their Cries, it is not always possible to predict behavior that will lead to violence.  However, the community can recognize early warning signs that may lead to aggressive rage or violent behavior.

A good rule of thumb is to assume these warning signs, especially when they are presented in combination, indicate a need for further analysis to determine a measured intervention.

These are the early warning signs shared today with the BCPCA.  It should be noted they are not equally significant, not presented in order of seriousness, and deserve comprehensive study.  

The early warning signs include:

• Social withdrawal

• Excessive feelings of isolation and being alone

• Excessive feelings of rejection

• Being a victim of violence

• Feelings of being picked on and persecuted

• Low school interest/poor academic performance

• Uncontrolled anger

• Patterns of impulsive and chronic hitting, intimidating, and bullying

• Expression of violence in writings

• History of discipline problems

• Past history of violent aggressive behavior

• Drug and alcohol use

• Affiliation with gangs

• Intolerance for differences and prejudicial attitudes

• Inappropriate access to, possession of, and use of firearms

• Serious threats of violence

During today’s meeting, copies of my articles in The Chief of Police, Vol. XL, 2022 titled Transforming American Policing: Mass Demonstration Recommendations and Safeguarding America’s Protectors: A Community Responsibility, complimentary of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, were available for all attendees.

Note Well: Joan Pinto, an educator with the Morris County Vocational School District, was gracious with proofreading this article and provided valuable editing and insight.

 

Related Coverage:

19 Children, 2 Adults Killed: America’s Culture of Violence and Failure of Leadership

Echoes of Columbine: School Violence Awareness and Prevention

America’s Schools: Security, Character, Academics

American School Violence Tracker: Awareness and Prevention

Reawakening America LLC / About the Founder  

Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America with over 300 published works. His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen To Their Cries. He is recipient of the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award and former confident of the New York Yankees.  Vincent is co-founder of Global Security Resolutions, and served as spokesperson for a coalition of Virginia Tech tragedy families of victims. He has 18 cover stories for The Chief of Police.

For twenty years, Vincent has served as a Board Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Board Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, Certified Police Training Commission Instructor, Crime Prevention Practitioner, and USDOJ Certified Community Anti-Terrorism Instructor Trainer.  He is currently a State of New Jersey / Division of State Police SORA Instructor, licensed for ten years.  

Vincent J. Bove has conducted keynotes, presentations, and training throughout the United States. This partial client list in his home state of New Jersey reflects a microcosm of his programs on ethical leadership, violence prevention, and public safety nationwide:

Ø  The Southern New Jersey Prosecutor’s School Security Conference

Ø  Bergen County Education Association Conference in partnership with the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bergen County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Saint Peter's College

Ø  Port Authority Police Academy 

Ø  Department of the Air Force, Joint Base McGuire-Dix

Ø  New Jersey Education Association

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Public Schools

Ø  Hackensack Police Department - numerous domestic violence, school violence and community policing presentations, including Community Policing Summit in partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center

Ø  Tenafly Public Schools

Ø  West Milford Public Schools

Ø  Monmouth University

Ø  The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Ø  Cinnaminson Township Public Schools

Ø  Wood-Ridge Public Schools

Ø  North Arlington Public Schools

Ø  Fort Lee Public Schools

Ø  Morris County Professional Counselors Association

Ø  Fairleigh Dickinson University

Ø  North Bergen Board of Education

Ø  Union City Board of Education

Ø  Rebeka Verea Foundation

Ø  Bergenfield Public Schools

Ø  New Jersey School Boards Association

Ø  New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association

Ø  Morris County Council of Education Associations

Ø  Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute

Ø  New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police

Ø  New Jersey City University 

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Administrators

Ø  West New York Board of Education

Ø  Carlstadt Public Schools

Ø  Livingston Police Department

Ø  New Milford Board of Education

Ø  New Jersey Association of School Business Officials

Ø  North Jersey Regional Crime Prevention Officers Association (board member)

Ø  New Jersey Bias Crime Officers Association

Ø  FBI, Newark Field Division - numerous presentations including Fort Monmouth, Fort Dix, the FBI Newark Field Office & the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory

Ø  Jersey City Police Department, East District (numerous domestic violence, school violence, and workplace violence keynotes & leadership keynote in partnership with cadets of the United States Military Academy on Ellis Island)

Ø  DARE NJ

Ø  River Vale Police Department Youth Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Teaneck Police Department

Ø  Essex County Police Chiefs Association

Ø  Essex County Police Academy Graduation Keynote

Ø  Essex County Crime Prevention Officers Association

Ø  Passaic Arts and Science Center

Ø  Northern Highlands Regional High School

Bove has also served the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association as liaison on issues including ethical leadership and violence prevention for 20 consecutive years. He shares monthly remarks to 75 - 100 members of the association including police chiefs from over 70 departments, the FBI, the NYPD, the Port Authority Police Department and community leaders.  

Resources: www.vincentbove.com or twitter@vincentjbove

Note Well: Photos of various cover stories for The Chief of Police by Vincent J. Bove are illustrated within this article, as well as photos of his two most recent books, Listen To Their Cries and Reawakening America.