Current tactics? Engage.

The nursing home rampage in North Carolina is a horrible tragedy. However, one bright spot (if you can call it that) is what Officer Justin Garner did that brought an end to the rampage.

He actively engaged the shooter.

He did not wait for backup. He did not wait for the SWAT team. He did not wait for anything. He was the first to arrive on the scene and entered the nursing home alone to bring an end to the situation. He was successful.

I’ve mentioned before how active shooter tactics have changed. What we see here is an application of those new tactics, and that they worked.

2 thoughts on “Current tactics? Engage.

  1. I’ve always believed that the sooner you can get someone to engage a shooter, you can end the situation with much less bloodshed. The Virgina Tech shooter, Cho, had hours in which to run around killing people. That’s why the body count was 30 rather than 3.

    I do feel sorry for law enforcement. They’re the guys on the sharp end of the stick, usually underfunded and expected to make due with the crumbs of politicians. One view I’ve always disagreed with is the “let the authorities” handle this.

    What I found strange is that he seems to have had the run of the place before he started shooting. All care facilities should have procedures in place to make sure that a person has a reason to be there. Ours did, and I always knew I was a sitting duck if someone ever came in shooting. Still, I would have done what I could to keep the shooter occupied while law enforcement was on the way and kept the shooter from the kids we had in our care.

  2. Pingback: A Damn Good Question « Stuff From Hsoi

Comments are closed.