An "Active Shooter" is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. Prior to the arrival of police, how you respond to an active shooter will be dictated by the specific circumstances of the encounter. If you find yourself in an active shooter situation, try to remain as calm as possible and use these suggested actions to help you plan a strategy for survival. Keep in mind that afterwards the entire area is a crime scene so do not move or remove items or tidy up.
IN THIS SITUATION IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT ACTIVATE THE FIRE ALARM AS THIS WILL INITIATE AN EVACUATION, POTENTIALLY ENDANGERING MORE PEOPLE. INSTEAD STAY PUT.
Active Shooter Outside Building:
- Go inside a building to a room that can be locked. Most offices and classrooms in Ayamdigut have thumb-lock-type locks.
- Close the window blinds, turn off the lights and get everyone down on the floor so that no one is visible from outside the room.
- Spread out and seek concealment behind walls, desks, file cabinets, etc.
- Put cellphones on silent or vibrate.
- Call 911 and Safety and Security (334.6042, speed dial 222 from a classroom/office phone or via the YukonU mobile app).
- Safety and Security will transmit via the internal PA system the “Lockdown” message to alert everyone (“Lockdown, Lockdown, Lockdown, activate now”).
- If you are not in your office or work area, proceed to the nearest lockable room or space available.
- Safety and Security will activate the Lockdown by engaging magnetic locks throughout the building.
- Once Lockdown is activated, STAY PUT in the room your are in and remain in place until Police give the 'All Clear’ message.
- If the fire alarm is activated, ignore it unless you observe fire or smoke as the shooter may activate the alarm to encourage people to leave their safe space.
- Do not respond to any voice commands until you can verify with certainty that they are being issued by a police officer.
- Unfamiliar voices may be the shooter attempting to lure people from their safe space.
Active Shooter Inside Building:
- Secure the room you are in by locking the thumb lock and follow the same procedures described above.
- If you cannot secure the room, determine if there is another room nearby that you are able to reach safely.
- If you are in the open area of the University like the Kaff or the Pit and cannot safely access a room that can be used for lockdown – exit the building and move away.
Active Shooter Inside Room:
- If the active shooter enters your office or classroom, there are no set procedures.
- The decision to flee or seek shelter inside the room can only be made by you and is dependent upon the circumstances.
- Try to remain calm, it will aid you in decision making.
- If able, call 911 via a classroom/office phone or via the YukonU mobile app, alerting RCMP to your location.
- If you can't speak, leave the line open so the dispatcher can hear what is taking place. Usually the location of a caller can be determined without speaking.
- If there is absolutely no opportunity of escape or concealment and the shooter is not actively firing on people it might be possible to negotiate with the shooter.
Active Shooter Leaves Room:
- If the shooter leaves the area and it appears safe, proceed immediately to a safer place.
- Do not touch anything that was in the area of the shooter because of the possibility of explosives being left and the destruction of crucial evidence needed for investigation.
What You Should Do:
- Make sure you have an escape route in mind.
- Do not attempt to carry anything in your hands while fleeing; move quickly.
- Keep your hands visible, and follow instructions of police officers you may encounter.
- If you know where the shooter is located, tell the officers.
- Remain at the designated assembly point until you have been released.
- Do not leave until told it is safe to do so by police.
- Do not try to move any injured people; leave them where they are and notify authorities of their location as soon as possible.
What You Should Expect:
- Responding police officers are trained to proceed immediately to the area where the shots were last heard; their purpose is to stop the shooting as quickly as possible.
- The first officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured victims; rescue teams composed of additional officers will follow the first team into secured areas and remove injured persons.
- Follow officers’ commands.