A shooter emerges through the classroom door.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
He’s already fired three times.
Meanwhile, you’re wondering what to do.
Students can learn how to react in situations like this at a campus safety forum Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Union Little Theater.
After watching “Shots Fired!,” a 20-minute video about actions one should take if a shooter strikes, students can ask questions to a panel including OSU Police Chief Michael Robinson; Suzanne Burks, University Counseling Services director; Mike Bale, risk and property management director; OSU Police Lt. Leon Jones; Ron Thrasher of the Stillwater Police Department; and Lee Bird, vice president of student affairs.
Bird said the video isn’t meant to intimidate anyone or make students fearful.
“Even though it’s a very unlikely scenario, we’re talking about it because it’s on the hearts and minds of students, parents and faculty,” Bird said.
Police officers, Residential Life staff, administrators and counselors have been preparing for the worst not only after the Virginia Tech massacre last April but also the February shooting at Northern Illinois University where five students were killed and 18 were wounded.
The forum was planned after Bird spoke with Student Government Association members who expressed concern about how students were feeling about safety.
The video will help students think about what they would do in this type of situation, whether it’s hide behind a desk, throw a book or possibly even try to stop the shooter, Bird said.
Even though campus administrators and police officers can notify the campus community of a dangerous situation, no one can tell each person on campus exactly how to react in every situation, Bird said.
“You can’t just throw your hands up and not to go school,” Bird said. “Determination and education are critical things to help people go from irrational panic to being able to take action on their own behalf.”
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I would suggest altering your byline from “Shooter emerges through the classroom door” to “Wed. forum to educate students on campus safety preparedness.”
Similarly, the “pop, pop, pop” text in the story is an unnecessary and insensitive wording. By focusing on the event speakers, time and date, and campus safety statistics, the article could have helped draw students to the event– instead of scaring them away from campus.
Try to read the article from the perspective of a person who has been on a campus and seen shootings, or a parent reading your story with excessive alarm.