How to Protect People During a School Shooting

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References

Your chances of experiencing a school shooting in your lifetime are very low, but it’s still a scary possibility that you may want to be prepared for. You should focus first on your own safety, but learning a few evacuation, lockdown, and fighting techniques may help you save the lives of your friends or classmates as well.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Helping to Evacuate the School

1
Alert a teacher or administrator as soon as possible. If you’ve seen or heard of an active shooter at your school, run to the nearest classroom or office. Tell the teacher or administrator what you saw or heard, giving as much description as possible, and tell them that the school is at risk.^{[1]
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- The teacher or administrator will trigger your school’s emergency procedures, which could be a lockdown or evacuation. Don’t assume that they already know of the threat, even if it’s causing a loud commotion.
- Speak calmly and seriously. It’s very important that the teacher understands that the threat is serious and needs their attention right now.
- If your school has already made an announcement about the shooter, follow your teacher’s instructions to evacuate or lock down. Stay alert and be aware that the shooter might appear at any time.
Warning: Avoid pulling the fire alarm to trigger an evacuation or emergency response. This will bring people into the hallways and can put them in the shooter's line of fire, and will also put emergency officials in danger. Some schools have a bluepoint police alarm: pull that instead, as it will alert the police immediately.^{[2]
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2
Call the police and tell them any information you have. Use your cell phone or grab one from a friend and call emergency services. Explain the situation as calmly as you can, giving as much detail as possible. You may be able to help first responders know where the shooter is and what they look like.^{[3]
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- Even if the shooting has already been reported, you may be able to provide new and crucial information about the shooter, especially if you saw them in person or knew where they were.
- Only make this call if you’re safe from immediate danger. If you’re running away or hiding with the shooter nearby, don’t take the risk of slowing yourself down or exposing yourself to the shooter.
- Again, don’t assume that the police have already been notified. Small but important steps like this can fall through the cracks during an emergency.
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3
Head to the nearest safe exit with those closest to you. Once you’re aware of a shooting threat, immediately head to the nearest exit and take as many people as possible with you. Don’t hesitate, delay, or second-guess yourself. If you see others begin to panic, grab them and start pushing them towards the exit.^{[4]
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- Use your instincts and common sense to find a way out. If you see people running away from an exit, do the same--they are probably running from a threat.
- Use your knowledge of your school. Take back routes and shortcuts to find the fastest, safest route possible. Keep your group close to you and remain calm.
4
Use ground-level windows to escape if no doors are close. If there’s no safe exits nearby, open the nearest accessible window. Assist classmates and anyone else out of the window, boosting them up or holding their arms to support them.
- Encourage classmates if they appear frozen or panicked, or move them physically if you need to.
- This is best if you’re on the ground floor of your school. If you’re on a higher floor, look for a staircase or a fire escape. Don’t head to the roof, as you could become trapped there.
5
Keep your hands up and visible as you evacuate. Drop anything you’re holding and keep your hands high in the air as you run out of school. Police will be racing towards your school--they might even be there already--and you want to make sure they don’t mistake you for the shooter.^{[5]
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6
Warn others of the danger as you evacuate. As you run to safety, shout out warnings to other people and classrooms, if possible. If there hasn’t been a school-wide announcement, there’s a good chance that some areas of the school aren’t aware of the shooter. Yelling out warnings as you run by may save lives.^{[6]
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- You may want to stop and warn classes in-person, but that might risk your own safety and the safety of those you’re leading. Do the best you can with the time that you have.
7
Text classmates to warn them of the danger. If you have time, use your phone to warn friends and classmates about the shooter. You can also ask them if they have any more information, like where the shooter is and whether a certain escape route is safe.
- Only send texts if your phone is on silent. Turn the vibrations off if you can.
- You can also send texts to your family to let them know that you’re safe, but don’t call them. Ask them not to call you as well.
- Only text others if you can do so without slowing yourself down or putting yourself at risk. Don’t use your phone as you run out of the school, in case police mistake it for a weapon.
8
Take shelter behind cement structures or trees if you’re outside. If you’re caught outside during a shooting, gather as many people as you can and help them hide behind thick tree trunks, by car engines, or cement pillars. Once the immediate threat has passed, help them run off school campus.^{[7]
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- If you hide behind a car, always go near its engine. The sturdy engine has a better chance of blocking bullets, which might pass through the trunk or sides.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Sheltering in a Locked Room

1
Bring those around you into nearby classroom. If you can’t safely evacuate during a shooting, the next best option is to barricade yourself in a classroom. Grab anyone nearby and hurry them into the closest classroom. Hold the door open and bring in as many people as possible.
- Stay near the door as you help others into the room. You want to be able to close it as soon as you need to.
- Avoid trapping yourself in a tiny space, like a closet. Avoid public bathrooms as well. Plastic stalls aren’t good protection from bullets, and there aren’t usually any windows to escape from.
2
Encourage everyone to barricade the door with heavy objects. Move desks, chairs, and cabinets against the door to keep the shooter out. You can also hold the doorknob shut by looping a belt around the knob, securing it, and then pulling it taut.^{[8]
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- Only use the belt technique if you or a teacher can stand to the side of the door to keep the belt pulled tight, staying out of the way of any shots at the door.
- The shooter will be looking to do the most harm they can in the least amount of time. Even a rough barricade like this one could give them trouble with the door, making them more likely to move on and leave you alone.
- Don’t barricade the door with your own body, except as a last resort.
3
Instruct classmates to hide behind heavy furniture away from the door. Use the rest of the furniture to create a shelter in the back of the room, as far away from the door as possible. Turn desks or large cabinets on their side and tell others to crouch behind them on the floor.
- Tell everyone to stay on their hands and knees, instead of pressing their chests to the floor. Ricocheting bullets tend to follow the path of the floor, so vital organs like your heart or stomach will be at risk if they’re touching the ground.
- Avoid hiding behind objects made of plastic or thin materials, like cabinet doors.
4
Create a plan of action while you’re out of immediate danger. While you’re hiding, start to create a plan. Talk about different options, like making an escape, calling for help, or confronting the shooter if they come in. Focusing on a plan can help you stay calm and think more clearly.^{[9]
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- If you want to evacuate, stay as quiet as possible and look for a backdoor or a window to escape through.
- If the shooter comes in, talk about throwing items like books or backpacks at them. You should also discuss how the group could take down the shooter physically, as a last resort.
- Take it upon yourself to be the leader. Be calm and decisive. Don’t allow your own emotions to get in the way of your good instincts and drive to protect the others.
5
Distribute heavy objects to defend yourselves against the shooter. Grab backpacks, textbooks, paperweights, or whatever else you can find in the classroom. Give at least one thing to each person and explain that they should throw it at the shooter if they come in.
- This may not seem like a great defense, but even the slightest distraction might throw the shooter off and save lives. It can also make your classmates feel better if they know they can defend themselves in some way.
6
Help to keep everyone calm and quiet. Speak softly and calmly to help others fight off their panic. Remind them that your best chance of survival is if you all work together and keep cool heads.^{[10]
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- You can quietly go over your plans to take their minds off of their fear.
- Remind others that staying calm and quiet will make it more likely that the shooter will pass over your room.
7
Look or listen for classmates outside looking for shelter. Whether you let others into your classroom is up to your judgment. If you believe you can help them inside without exposing yourself or others to the shooter, you can do so, but it may come at great risk.
- If you do let them in, open the door swiftly and decisively. There’s no time for hesitation.
- Listen carefully in the hallway. If you don’t hear gunshots for 10 or so minutes before someone asks to be let in, it’s probably safe to quickly open the door.
- Be aware that the shooter may pretend to be a classmate to get you to let them in. Listen closely to their voice and use your best judgment--they should sound terrified and urgent, which the shooter may not be able to fake.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Fighting Off the Shooter

1
Distract the attacker. If you can, discreetly throw items away from the shooter to distract them. Don't confront the shooter, just act unaware. Throw any object or make a sound to confuse or attract his attention. Keep them off balance and distracted for as long as you can while you and others try to make a getaway. Try to take them down from behind or if they seem weak.
- You can throw objects like textbooks, backpacks, fire extinguishers, or whatever you have on hand. Anything is better than nothing.
2
Attack the shooter in a group as a last resort. You have a better chance of bringing down the shooter as a group than alone. Approach from the side to avoid shots and use thick items like books or backpacks as shields. Your main goal is to separate the shooter from their gun.^{[11]
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- If the shooter is near a wall or door, try to grab their gun and force it to the wall to gain control of it.
- Attacking the shooter head-on is risking your life, but you may have no choice. Only try to fight them if you have no other options.
- Attacking the shooter will buy time for others to run to safety.
3
Slide the gun away as soon as you can. Once you’ve got the gun away from the shooter, put it on the ground and slide it out of their reach. You can push it with your hands or even use your feet to kick it away.^{[12]
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- As you hold the shooter down, tell a classmate to scoop the gun into a receptacle, like a trash can.
- Don’t let anyone pick up the gun with their hands. Police are looking for anyone holding a gun, and might mistake your classmate for the shooter.
- Tell them to run towards the exit with the gun in the trash can, and to give the gun to the police immediately.
4
Immobilize the shooter’s spine and head once you get the gun away. If you manage to pull the shooter to the ground, put all your weight on them to hold them down. Grapple for control of their spine, head, and hips, which will control the rest of their movement.^{[13]
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- Hold the shooter down while others get away. Ask others to help if you get tired.
- Tell others to bring the police. Do your best to hold the shooter in place until they arrive.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Being Prepared for a School Shooting

1
Learn all the exit routes from all areas of your school. The best way to protect others during a school shooting is if you yourself are prepared for it. Do your best to memorize every possible exit route from each of your classrooms so that you can lead others to safety.
- Challenge yourself to learn shortcuts and alternate routes as well, in case your main routes are blocked off or unsafe during a shooting.
2
Take self-defense classes. Knowing self-defense can be invaluable against a shooter, buying time for those around you to escape and saving your own life as well. Sign up for classes at a nearby gym or community center. You should especially look for classes that teach you how to defend yourself against a shooter.
- Take the lessons seriously and work hard in class. These skills could mean the difference between life and death in a school shooting scenario.
3
Learn first aid to help possible victims. Look for emergency and first aid classes in your area, usually offered at emergency training centers or community centers. Start with basic first aid, which will teach you how to staunch blood flow and perform CPR, among other skills.
- Once you master the basics, move on to more advanced courses. Look for classes that teach you how to treat bullet wounds and other extreme trauma injuries.
- Even very basic first aid training can help you aid victims until the paramedics arrive. You may even save someone’s life.
4
Work on being calm and resourceful in stressful situations. If you want to be a leader in emergency situations, you’ll need maintain your cool and be able to quickly switch tactics. Practice this in all areas of your life so that you’ll be able to control your emotions and think clearly in a school shooting situation.
- Whenever you feel stressed, calm yourself by taking deep breaths and relaxing your muscles. You can keep panic away by staying focused on what you have to do.
- For example, if you get lost while driving, take a few deep breaths before you start to panic. Look at the situation calmly and figure out alternate routes you can take, or find the nearest turnaround.
- Learn to feel your body’s reactions to stress, such as dizziness or a racing heart. Recognizing and learning to overcome these reactions is very important in a school shooting situation.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I am outside? Should I just get away from the school or should I help other people get out?

Community Answer

Leave immediately, help people on the way if possible and call 911. Get as far away from the area as you can.
Question

What if I have a nail gun and the shooter hasn't see me?

Community Answer

Your main priority is to stay alive. To try to save the people the shooter is threatening, the best thing to do is call the police and quickly explain the situation. Keep the nail gun on you in case the shooter decides you are his next target, in which case you hopefully can defend yourself. The police have more experience so let them do the saving, but if you need to defend yourself, do so.
Question

Why can't I just shoot them with my own gun?

Community Answer

Because guns are not allowed on school grounds unless you are a police officer. If you happened to break that rule and have a gun, you could.