This is a brief overview of what constitutes an "Active Shooter", citing some examples and looking at the circumstances surrounding them. We later lay out a template for an organization to conduct their own tabletop exercise to begin formulating a response plan.

1. Active Shooter Situations
Tabletop Exercise for Business Continuity

2. What follows is not a “presentation”, it is not
designed to instruct or educate. It is not designed to
be read and digested, it holds no answers and makes
no promises. It is, however, designed to promote
thought, encourage discussion, and facilitate
planning. It demands an active audience and
participations. This is an exercise, and if conducted
correctly, will leave an organization with more
questions than answers.

3. Definition:
The Department of Homeland Security
defines an Active Shooter as individual
actively engaged in killing or attempting to
kill people in a confined area; in most cases
Active Shooters use firearms and there is no
pattern or method to their victim selections.
The incident is unpredictable and usually
evolves quickly.

4. Active Shooter events are not a new phenomenon:

5. Some Notable Examples:
Columbine High School: 13 Dead 24 Wounded
Trolley Square Mall: 5 Dead 4 Wounded
Tacoma Mall: 0 Dead 6 Wounded
Edgewater Technologies 7 Dead 0 Wounded
Westroads Mall 8 Dead 5 Wounded
Virginia Tech 32 Dead 17 Wounded
Northern Illinois Univ 6 Dead 16 Wounded
Fort Hood 12 Dead 31 Wounded
Sandy Hook Elementary 27 Dead 2 Wounded
Aurora Cinema 12 Dead 70 Wounded

6. Federal Bureau of Investigation reports:
160 incidents occurred between 2000-2013
with an increasing trend over last 7 years of the study.
70% occurred in a commerce/business or
educational environment.
23 incidents occurred in a business generally
closed to public.
69 employees were killed and 73 were
wounded

7. Federal Bureau of Investigation reports:
The Shooter was:
1 Suspended Employee
3 Former Employees
4 Employees Terminated Day of Event
14 Current Employees

8. Incident at Edgewater
December 26, 2000

9. • Born: 9/4/58 – 42 years old at time of shooting
• 6’ 350 lbs
• Divorced for many years but had a current girlfriend
• Education: Northeastern University w/degree in Electrical
and Computer Technology
• Navy Veteran – Submarine Service
• Licensed in 1984 as Federal Nuclear Reactor Operator
• IQ 142

10. • Close with family members, and spent Christmas Day
w/girlfriend and his family in Marshfield, MA
• Changed his surname from Martinez to McDermott because he
wanted to be considered Irish and not Hispanic
• Very well-liked by co-workers
• Donated Blood Platelets every 2 weeks

11. • Considered Strong Willed and Opinionated
• Conservative
• Patriotic (6 year Navy Veteran)
• Principled and Argumentative

12. • Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company: 1982 – 1988
(employee of the year)
• Duracell Worldwide Technology: 1990 – 2000
(Vice Presidential Award of Excellence – Gold Level)
• Edgewater Technology:
February 2000 to December 26, 2000.

13. • 1996: sold Duracell stock and IRS advised he
owed $4,000 from sale. He disputed their claim
and refused to pay.
• 2000: debt had increased with interest to
$5,586.37
• IRS advised Edgewater that they would be
garnishing his wages bi-weekly at $276.92,
beginning with paycheck after Christmas.

14. • McDermott’s car was going to be repossessed for
lack of payments. He starts parking his car on
side street 5 minutes away instead of in parking
garage.
• He had additional financial issues in spite of his
$50,000 a year salary.
• Suffering from mild depression and taking
Prozac.

15. • 12/14/2000: Rose Manfredi the payroll manager receives
the notice. She shares this info with Cheryl Troy the VP
of HR.
• Troy and Manfredi meet with McDermott that
afternoon and advise him of the garnishment.
• McDermott is furious with them and IRS...breaks into
tears. States his issues with IRS are personal and not the
business of Edgewater.
• Days later Manfredi and Troy contact IRS in conference
call...IRS cordial, but McDermott acts out and refuses to
make any payments.
• Relationship between McDermott and Troy and
Manfredi remains tense.

16. • Day after Christmas with a lot of people off or
working from home.
• Extremely cold day with wind chill below zero.
• Ordinary work day with several meetings going on
in multiple conference areas.
• McDermott parks his car in the garage across the
street and enters the building at 10:29. He is
carrying a large black duffel bag.

17. • McDermott went to the kitchen area, where he had a
brief, but friendly conversation with a senior
manager.
• McDermott returned to his desk and had another
friendly talk with a coworker.
• 11:07, McDermott received a telephone call from the
lender about his vehicle and he advised the caller that
he no longer needed it and they can come to pick it up
at the Edgewater garage.

18. • Moments later McDermott entered the reception
area with the black duffel bag draped over an
assault rifle and shotgun he was carrying.
• He was greeted by Cheryl Troy and Janice
Hagerty who were talking at the reception
desk...they asked where he was going and he
replied, “Actually I’m going to see someone in
Human Resources”.

19. • It was at this time that McDermott began his spree.
The total killed numbered seven.
Cheryl Troy
Janice Hagerty
Louis Javelle
Craig Wood
Jennifer Capobianco
Paul Marceau
Rose Manfredi

20. Workplace Violence

21. Meet John Doe…
- A 32 year old Shipping
Manager who works for you

22. Ordinarily…
- Appearance consistent.
- Arrives 15 minutes early
everyday.
- Colleagues regard him as
well-liked.
- Employee of the quarter
2014 Q3.
- Supervisors praise his
work.

23. - Financial hardships
- Personal relationship
troubles
- Substance abuse
- Family conflict
Recently…

24. Then…
- Appearance becomes
inconsistent.
- Develops an attendance issue.
- Becomes withdrawn and
depressed.
- Work quality suffers.

25. “Who’s doing what?”
Lately colleagues observe…
Statements of Desperation
Co-workers begin to take notice that John
becomes increasingly withdrawn and removed. He
also begins making the following posts on his
Facebook Page…

28. “Who’s doing what?”
Lately…
Increasingly Aggressive
Behavior
John’s temper becomes exceedingly short and
constantly seems to be “on edge”.

29. “Who’s doing what?”
Lastly…
Numerous Conflicts
with Co-workers
John is involved in several intense arguments and
his co-workers feel intimidated by him.

30. ASSESSING THREATS AND THREATENING
BEHAVIOR
Encourage ReportingEncourage Reporting: Create Culture of in which Safety is: Create Culture of in which Safety is
Common GoalCommon Goal
Multiple Reporting ChannelsMultiple Reporting Channels, Including Anonymous Hotline, Including Anonymous Hotline
Multi-Disciplinary TeamsMulti-Disciplinary Teams available for threat assessmentavailable for threat assessment
Assess and Address Cultural FactorsAssess and Address Cultural Factors: High stress: High stress
environment; poor communications; uneven enforcement ofenvironment; poor communications; uneven enforcement of
policies or discipline; bullying; lay-offs; high physical injury;policies or discipline; bullying; lay-offs; high physical injury;
labor issues; lack of trust in managementlabor issues; lack of trust in management

31. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROGRAMS
SCREEN NEW HIRES CAREFULLYSCREEN NEW HIRES CAREFULLY
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICYZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
PHYSICAL SECURITY ASSESSMENTPHYSICAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT
PROCEDURES AND TRAINING ON THREAT ASSESSMENTPROCEDURES AND TRAINING ON THREAT ASSESSMENT
DESIGNATION AND TRAINING OF INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAMDESIGNATION AND TRAINING OF INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM
ACCESS TO OTHER RESOURCESACCESS TO OTHER RESOURCES
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN – PRACTICE IT!EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN – PRACTICE IT!
COMPANY-WIDE TRAININGCOMPANY-WIDE TRAINING

32. What else can we do?
Prepare/Plan
Manage Access Control
Network with Public Safety Services
Regular Review and Practice of Crisis
Management Policies and Procedures
Drill and Exercise

33. Company profile
Fresh Pond Water CompanyFresh Pond Water Company
Fresh Pond Water Company distributes 11 Million gallonsFresh Pond Water Company distributes 11 Million gallons
Daily of domestic water to the community. The privatelyDaily of domestic water to the community. The privately
owned 15 acre campus is a state of the art complexowned 15 acre campus is a state of the art complex
maintained by 115 employees.maintained by 115 employees.
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34. Don Haverty:
•Terminated employee after 15 years
•Recently separated from his wife due to financial
stress
•Has begun sending emails and leaving voicemails
with non-specific threat.
•Lost an unemployment hearing last week
Situation Report

35. And he is walking into your lobby…………
Situation Report

36. • Suspect entered main door
and approached receptionist.
He asked to see former
manager.
• When denied he became
aggressive and refused to be
delayed.
• Left after making some
poorly veiled threats.
Situation Report

37. • Suspect returns shortly
after and produces a shotgun
• Suspect demands to
speak with manager and
shoots receptionist.
• Suspect enters facility
unopposed.
Situation Report

38. • Suspect encounters plant worker and
wounds him at the top of the stairs.
• Plant worker comes out to
investigate sounds of the shot.
• Suspect lets himself into office
complex and continues his spree.
ECC- First Calls Received
Police- Sector Cars En Route
CFD- Medics En Route
The media has picked up radio transmission and
has begun placing calls to CPD for comment.
Due to consistent scanner activity the media
has mobilized and is now covering the incident.
Situation Report

39. News Helicopter Capturing Footage

40. What Are Your Concerns?
What is the media doing right now?
1. Calling CPD/CFD/PRO
2. Calling the company
3. Calling area companies and residences
4. Going to company websites

41. • Suspect Enters Office
Area
• Begins Searching For
Target
• Suspect Shoots 2 Employees in
Interior Hallway
ECC- Multiple Calls Received
Police- First Units On-Scene
CFD- Medics En Route
Situation Report

42. • First Units Arrive and
Enter
• Suspect Engages
Police
• Enters Control Room
ECC- Multiple Calls Received
Police- First Units On-Scene
CFD- Medics En Route
Situation Report

43. • Suspect takes a hostage
and becomes barricaded
• Responding Units
Isolate Suspect
• SRT Arrives On
Scene
ECC- Multiple Calls Received
Police- First Units On-Scene
SRT On-Scene
CFD- Medics On-Scene
ICP- Established
Situation Report

44. Emergency Services are securing the area.
Road Closures are impacting traffic flow.
News crews are looking for bystanders.
Road Closures
and Staging
areas are being
implemented

45. What are you doing to interact with
the Media?
What Are Your Concerns?

46. • SRT and Tact Medics Triage
and Treat Wounded
• SRT Relieve Initial response
Officers and Isolate Suspect
• Tact Medics Embed With
SRT at ICP
ECC- Managing Calls for Service
Police- First Units Relieved
SRT On-Scene
CFD- Medics On-Scene
Tact Medics On-Scene
ICP- Operational
Situation Report

47.  Situation within the building is coming to aSituation within the building is coming to a
close, BUT the event is still on goingclose, BUT the event is still on going
 Police have spoken to the media once with aPolice have spoken to the media once with a
limited briefinglimited briefing
 We are approaching the 12pm news castsWe are approaching the 12pm news casts
for TVfor TV
 What opportunities are there to inform theWhat opportunities are there to inform the
publicpublic
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What Are Your Concerns?

48. What are you going to do and how are you
managing the information?
48
• The Media has picked
up on rumors and have
begun speculating on
water contamination.

49. • Suspect Detonates Device
• Negotiations Begin and
Eventually Suspect Surrenders
• Suspect is Arrested
ECC- Managing Calls for Service
Police- SRT On-Scene
Negotiators On-Scene
CFD- Medics On-Scene
Tact Medics On-Scene
ICP- Operational
Situation Report

50. 50
News is currently
running a story about
the explosion inside
the building.

51. What are you doing to interact with
the Media?
What Are Your Concerns?

52. • Family members and
friends are arriving onsite
after seeing footage on the
news
•News teams are capturing
grieving family members
• What are you going to do with family and friends that are
arriving at the scene
• How are you managing the families attempting to contact
the Company via phone.

53.  What and how are you going to do to communicate to yourWhat and how are you going to do to communicate to your
employees?employees?
 What if possible can employees release for information?What if possible can employees release for information?
 Can you control the information release?Can you control the information release?
 Are you prepared to offer Grievance counseling?Are you prepared to offer Grievance counseling?
 What HR involvement options do you have?What HR involvement options do you have?
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What Are Your Concerns?

54. What Response Measures do you
have in place to engage/manage
other media outlets?
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55. Internet Video Outlets
55
FreshPond Water Shooter!!!

56. Internet Search Engines
56
• Once it hits the web it is in the hands of
anyone who will listen.

57. Media Concerns
Are you controlling the flow of information to the media?Are you controlling the flow of information to the media?
Media ConsultantMedia Consultant
Internet Filters and ReportingInternet Filters and Reporting
Designated Media LocationDesignated Media Location
Scheduled Media BriefingsScheduled Media Briefings