Research reveals ways to stem growing active shooter tide
September 25, 2014
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Eric Dietz |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - By mining the same data the FBI used to document the growing number of “active shooter” events in recent years, Purdue University researchers have created detailed computer modeling that reveals the two most salient means to slow a shooter: locks on schoolroom doors and armed school personnel.
Data studied by the Purdue Homeland Security Institute shows that shooters average three victims per minute. The average police response time is at least 10 minutes. Institute director Eric Dietz says it’s almost impossible to speed response time, but adding locks to doors and having a couple of armed employees on campus can effectively reduce response time and casualties.
“We’ve seen over and over a single resource officer, or even an armed teacher in a defensive position between attacker and students, can reduce the number of victims by up to 70 percent,” Dietz said. “They are the only two measures that consistently have significant results in detailed modeling.”
Dietz is presenting his research at an international conference in Orlando this week. Purdue, along with schools and universities around the nation, have turned to the institute to help craft their emergency and safety preparedness and response plans
Writer: Jim Schenke, 765-237-7296, jschenke@purdue.edu
Source: Eric Dietz, jedietz@purdue.edu
