Civilian Preparedness for Active Shooters: A Guide for Concealed Carriers

An active shooter, as defined by the FBI, is “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” These incidents are characterized by their immediacy, unpredictability, and often involve firearms, with no clear victim selection pattern. Unlike mass shootings, which are defined by casualty numbers, active shooter events focus on the ongoing attempt to harm, regardless of fatalities. Over the past two decades, the term “active shooter” has become central to discussions about public safety, law enforcement response, and community preparedness.

A Brief Historical Overview

Active shooter events are not new, but their systematic study and modern response strategies emerged in the late 20th century.

• 1966 – University of Texas Tower Shooting: Charles Whitman killed 14 and wounded 31, firing from an elevated position. This was one of the earliest high-profile mass public shootings in the U.S.
• 1999 – Columbine High School Massacre: Two students killed 13 people and injured 24 others before taking their own lives. This event was a turning point, reshaping how schools, communities, and law enforcement approached safety and response.

Before Columbine, incidents were typically categorized under broader labels such as “workplace violence” or “rampage killings.” The Columbine tragedy brought active shooter scenarios into national focus, prompting new safety measures and rapid response protocols.

Federal Tracking and Policy Shifts

• 2000: The FBI began formally tracking active shooter incidents.
• 2012: The Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act expanded federal involvement.
• 2014 onward: The FBI began publishing annual reports on active shooter incidents.

Between 2000 and 2018, the FBI documented 277 incidents, resulting in 884 deaths and 1,546 injuries. These numbers reflect the significant impact such events have had on communities nationwide.

Typical Locations

Active shooter incidents often occur in “soft targets,” or public spaces with limited security and easy access to crowds. The FBI identifies seven main target types: open spaces, commerce locations, educational institutions, government facilities, residences, health care settings, and houses of worship. Open spaces and commerce have historically accounted for over 50% of incidents between 2000 and 2018. Schools, while only 10–15% of incidents, draw significant attention due to their vulnerability, with 118 K–12 events since 1999. Notable examples include the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the 2017 Las Vegas concert massacre.

Active shooter scenarios can unfold in chaotic, confined environments like schools, malls, or offices, where engagements typically occur at close range (5-15 yards). Precision shooting under stress is a cornerstone skill for concealed carriers, as innocent lives may depend on your ability to neutralize a threat without collateral damage.

Training for Precision:

• Fundamentals First: Master the basics of marksmanship—stance, grip, sight alignment, and trigger control. Practice dry-fire drills at home to refine trigger discipline, focusing on a smooth, controlled press without disturbing the sight picture.
• Stress Inoculation: Simulate high-pressure scenarios using timed drills or force-on-force training with airsoft or Simunition. Use a shot timer to add urgency, aiming for consistent hits within 2-3 seconds.
• Decision-Making Drills: Incorporate “shoot/no-shoot” targets to train your brain to differentiate threats from innocents. This is critical in crowded environments where bystanders may be present. 
• Realistic Scenarios: Practice in low-light conditions or with partially obscured targets to replicate real-world challenges. Consider being injured or having to use one hand/arm to carry or marshal innocent bystanders so fighting with one hand is a consideration

• Identify Cover vs. Concealment: Train to distinguish between cover (e.g., concrete walls, steel pillars) and concealment (e.g., drywall, furniture), which hides you but doesn’t stop bullets. Practice quickly assessing your environment during drills.
• Minimize Exposure: Learn to cut angles when approaching corners or cover. This involves leaning out incrementally to engage a threat while exposing as little of your body as possible. Practice this at the range with barriers or simulated cover like barrels.
• Shooting from Cover: Train to shoot from unconventional positions, such as kneeling or leaning around cover. Avoid “crowding” cover—pressing your body against it—which can expose you to ricochet or limit mobility. Maintain a slight offset from the cover to stay dynamic.
• Dynamic Movement: Practice transitioning between cover points. For example, set up multiple barriers at the range and move from one to another while engaging targets. Focus on keeping your firearm in a ready position (e.g., low ready or compressed high ready) to reduce reaction time.

Using cover effectively requires discipline and situational awareness. Regular range sessions with barriers or scenario-based training facilities can build these skills.

Active shooter scenarios are rarely static. You may need to move to cover, close the distance to a threat, or evacuate bystanders while maintaining the ability to engage accurately. Shooting on the move is a complex skill that demands coordination and practice.

Training for Shooting on the Move:

• Stable Platform: Practice a smooth, stable shooting platform. Keep your knees slightly bent and upper body steady to minimize muzzle sway. Start with slow, deliberate steps at 10 yards, engaging a target while moving forward or laterally.
• Trigger Control: Focus on isolating your trigger finger to avoid jerking the trigger while moving. Dry-fire practice while walking can help refine this skill before live-fire drills.
• Target Transitions: In an active shooter scenario, you may face multiple threats or need to scan for additional dangers. Practice engaging multiple targets while moving maintaining a minimum standard of accuracy.
• Realistic Movement: Incorporate obstacles or uneven terrain into your training if possible. Outdoor ranges can provide environments to simulate navigating a crowded or cluttered space.

Shooting on the move is physically and mentally demanding. Start slow, prioritize accuracy over speed, and gradually increase complexity as your skills improve.

While most self-defense shootings occur within 7 yards, active shooter scenarios may require engaging a threat at longer distances (15-50 yards), especially in open areas like parking lots or large public spaces. Training for these ranges pushes the limits of typical concealed carry skills.

Training for Extended Ranges:

• Know Your Limits: Most concealed carry firearms (e.g., compact 9mm pistols) are less effective beyond 25 yards due to sight radius and barrel length. Test your firearm’s accuracy at 25, 35, and 50 yards to understand its capabilities and your own.
• Adjust for Distance: At extended ranges, sight alignment and trigger control become even more critical. Practice slow, deliberate shots at 25-50 yards, focusing on the proper sight picture and follow-through. Use a target with a small aiming point (e.g., an 8-inch steel plate) to simulate a vital zone.
• Proper zero red dot sights: Selecting a zero to best accommodate an unknown or unknowable event is challenging, but no matter the choice in zero understand the different points of aim at various distances. Test your zero to find the optimal balance and be consistent.
• Ballistic Awareness: Understand your ammunition’s performance. For example, 9mm FMJ may drop significantly at 50 yards compared to +P hollow points. Consult ballistic charts and test your carry ammo at extended ranges.

Engaging at longer ranges requires confidence and precision. Regular practice at these distances, combined with a clear understanding of your equipment, is essential.