Bedford Police Prepared For Active Shooter Situations

(BEDFORD) – Last week, Bedford Police Officers were dispatched to a possible person with a gun call at Walmart.

Bedford Police respond to incident at at Walmart

The situation was a prank, but yet it was very serious with several people affected by a large police response at the retail store.

Bedford Police along with deputies of the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police responded quickly to last week’s call. Officers were able to get the situation under control within an hour, according to Bedford Police Chief Terry Moore.

“Walmart employees had evacuations underway when our officers arrived. It is important in these situations to have your hands where officers can see them. The officers are looking for a person with a gun,” said Chief Moore.

Emergencies of any size can happen in small or large metropolitan areas, and Bedford Police Department officers train regularly on situations similar to what happened last week.

Officer Blake Wade, who is a firearms instructor, trains local businesses on what to do in Active Shooter Situations.

“When shots ring out, we teach Run, Hide, or Fight,” said Wade.

Bedford Police Department just recently presented the training on Active Shooters to a local business.

Some of the recommendations law enforcement provides to the public in active shooter situations can be found below.

An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. In most cases, active shooters use firearm(s) and there is no pattern or method to the selection of victims.

Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Active shooter situations are over within 10 to 15 minutes before law enforcement arrives.

Here are actions you can take in active shooter situations.

RUN: Evacuate

  • If possible, if there is considerable distance between you and the gunfire/armed person, quickly move away from the sound of gunfire/armed person. If the gunfire/armed person is in your building and it is safe to do so, run out of the building and move far away until you are in a secure place to hide.
  • Leave your belongings behind
  • Keep hands visible to law enforcement
  • Take others with you, but do not stay behind because others will not go.
  • Call 9-1-1 when safe to do so. Do not assume that someone else has reported the incident. The information that you are able to provide law enforcement may be critical.

HIDE: Hide silently in as safe place as possible

  • If a shooter is in close proximity and you cannot evacuate safely, hide in an area out of the armed person’s view.
  • Choose a hiding place with thicker walls and few windows, if possible.
  • Lock doors and barricade with furniture, if possible.
  • Turn off lights
  • Silence phones and turn off electronics.
  • Close windows, shades, and blinds, and avoid being seen from the outside room, if possible.
  • If you are outdoors and cannot run safely, find a place to hide that will provide protection from gunfire such as a brick wall, large trees, or buildings.
  • Remain in place until law enforcement arrives and provides instructions. (keep your hands were law enforcement can see them)

FIGHT: Take Action to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter

  • As a last resort fight. If you cannot evacuate or hide safely and only when your life is in imminent danger take action.
  • Attempt to incapacitate or disrupt the actions of the shooter
  • Act with physical aggression toward the shooter.
  • Use items in your area such as fire extinguishers or chairs.
  • Throw items at the shooter if possible.
  • Call 911 when safe to do so.

“There is not an active investigation at this time about the Walmart incident,’ said Chief Terry Moore. “The department has not received any more information and the incident was considered a prank.”

If any business would like to have Bedford Police Department present a 45-minute training on Active Shooter response contact Chief Terry Moore at 812-275-3311.