How Police Officers are Shot and Killed During Active Shooter Events: Implications for Response and Training

Responding to active shooter events is very dangerous for law enforcement officers. Officers can be shot during these incidents at concerning rates, and officer deaths are not uncommon. Many officers shot during active shooter events are shot at the outset of the attack (e.g., ambushed while standing at a duty post), but for officers who are shot when responding to an ongoing attack, the most common time that they are shot is immediately upon arrival at the scene. This finding highlights how important it is for officers to put on their active shooter gear before responding to the scene. Most officers who are shot responding to an active shooter are shot outside, not inside, the building. Yet, most active shooter training focuses on activities inside of a building (e.g., room entries). A lack of exterior training may influence a responding officer’s expectations of where they are likely to encounter an attacker. As such, law enforcement agencies should consider providing more training that focuses on threats outside of buildings.