The greatest safety asset a school has is a vigilant, caring, and prepared adult. Cameras are great, locks are vital, but people are the prize…but only if they are prepared and know when to act.

Here are some indicators of danger, warning signs, and commonalities of school attackers to help you know when to act or call for assistance. If you see any of these—say something immediately!

Look for older students, adults, or strangers who are…

1. Carrying large, oversized camping packs and/or guitar cases but who do not play an instrument (Ocala, FL/São Paulo, Brazil).
2. Hand carrying large, extremely heavy bags (Columbine, CO/Parkland, FL).
3. Wearing all black fatigues with a black hat (multiple attackers). While this doesn’t solely indicate a threat, it is a commonality among attackers.
4. Wearing bulky clothes that do not match the season—long heavy jacket such as a duster on a hot day (Orange County High School, NC).
5. Parking extremely close to the building/entrance way and then running towards a door (Sandy Hook, CT).
6. Wearing a shooting vest that holds extra magazines (Virginia Tech, VA/Sandy Hook, CT/Ocala, FL/Columbine, CO, and others).
7. Have their hands in their pockets and appear to be clinging/holding on to or steadying something in their pockets (Columbine, CO—the attackers cut out their jacket pockets so they could hold their rifles/shotguns close to their bodies).
8. Wearing shirts that read, “Natural Selection”, “Wrath”, “Humanity is Overrated”, “NBK”, “REB”, “VODKA”, or other clothing worn specifically by school attackers to make a statement (Columbine, Jokela, Orange County, Santa Fe, many others).
9. Suspended/previous students who have demonstrated violent/dangerous behaviors or have been found to be a threat (Erfurt, Germany/ Parkland, FL/Arapahoe, CO).
10. Openly carrying a gun and running for an entrance (Arapahoe, CO/Sandy Hook, CT).
11. Filthy, dirty, ‘creepy’ looking older males carrying a bag (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Dunblane, Scotland/Platte Canyon, CO).

• Duane Morrison, a 54-year-old homeless male from Platte Canyon, Colorado, walked into the high school (through an open door) carrying a bag. He walked down the hall, sat in an empty classroom for nearly an hour, was seen by numerous students, but no one reported him even though several stated that he looked “Creepy”.


• As soon as he saw the SRO had left the building, Morrison attacked a classroom. He sexually assaulted multiple students and murdered one before committing suicide.

We’ve all heard the phrase that if you see something say something…but there’s more to it. You should also say something if you hear or feel something—anything!

In Richmond, Virginia (July 2022) a plot to attack a 4th of July celebration was prevented because someone heard something and said something. Two men with a cache of weapons and ammunition were planning and preparing to attack.

In Waseca, Minnesota (2014), a woman observed a high school age student walk into a storage shed and she felt that something was off about him. She couldn’t describe what it was but that something scared her so she called police. The shed was searched and plans, weapons, and bombs were found. The student was preparing to replicate Columbine starting with murdering his parents and 3 siblings.

If you see something say something. If you hear something say something. If someone gives you the creeps, looks out of place, or if you feel that there is something odd, disturbing, weird, or off putting about the person—trust your gut (intuition) and immediately report it!

P.S.
Please help educate others by sharing this with teachers, staff members, and those who assist during morning arrival or with special events.

---------------------------------------------

If you’d like to prepare and inspire your teachers, consider scheduling a Safe & Loved teacher professional development. We still have some dates available for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Presentations can be 3-8 hours long and fit perfectly into in-service training.

emailfor more details.

Click here here for more blogs from Don