The Cape Coral Police Department held an active shooter training class at the police headquarters on Wednesday.
The instructors told participants when faced with an active shooter, to try to fight back. “The people that do hide or lay there do make themselves the easiest victims,” Sgt. Brian Kearney said.
An example is the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. A lone gunman shot and killed 32 people and injured 17.
In one classroom, 14 people hid. Ten were killed, and two were injured. In another classroom, victims took an active stance and barricaded themselves in the classroom, then jumped out a window. Two were killed. Three were injured.
Sgt. Kearney said the class teaches people the key to survival: the “ALICE” technique.
A – Alert (stay alert)
L – Lockdown (when appropriate, barricade yourself)
I – Inform (inform people that you’re with what’s going on)
C – Counter (if you have to confront the shooter, counter back by whatever means necessary)
E – Evacuate (if you can evacuate the situation, do so)
When the Cape Coral Police Department announced they were holding classes, there were concerns because of a shooting at the Citizen Police Academy in Punta Gorda. An officer accidentally shot and killed a woman during a role-play scenario.
Cape Coral Police Chief David Newlan said no real weapons were used during the class. “They might have a molded-type rifle or a molded pistol,” Chief Newlan said.
Police said with active shooter situations, they want to teach people to be safe when they can’t be around. “I’m a pastor. To provide leadership in the situation, is going provide the safest place for our schools, for our churches, and for our community,” said Paul Irminger, who attended the class.
Cape Coral Police will be holding this class every other week until there are no longer any interested participants.
