'Everybody Thinks Someone Else Will Call:' TCSO Holds Public Active Shooter Response Training Class

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office held a public class Tuesday night to teach residents how to respond during an active shooter situation.

The two-hour session, attended by about 40 people, covered essential survival skills, such as how to react quickly, help those injured, and snap out of shock in a crisis.

Law enforcement officials emphasized that people often remain in a state of denial too long during active shooter situations when every second is critical.

They also noted that one of the biggest issues in these incidents is the lack of immediate 911 calls.

“The biggest thing we found throughout all the active shooter incidents in the United States is the lack of callers. Everybody thinks someone else will call. We want to empower the public to call us and to give us good, accurate information about what's happening,” said Dep. Adam Bivens with TCSO.

The class had a range of age groups and backgrounds. Some were interested in the law enforcement aspect, while others were concerned about personal safety.

Logan Mulinax, a college student, said the training was relevant for him.

“It is prone for college and universities and that's also one reason I decided to do this because I am a college student, and it’s just important to me to know what to do,” Mulinax said.

This was the first active shooter training for the public hosted by the sheriff’s office, but officials hope to offer similar sessions for organizations and businesses free of charge in the future.

They stressed that the more people work on their situational awareness, the more lives that could be saved.