Event goes down amidst national debate on preparation/response methods to active shooter situations
VC Star/USA Today
(November 14, 2019)
When sophomore Elijah Mims, 15, performed in an active shooter training video for a class project earlier this school year, the Santa Clarita native never thought he’d actually be running for his life.
“We were just preparing for the worst, but we never thought anything would occur in a suburb like Santa Clarita. It’s such a lovely place,” Mims told USA TODAY in a phone interview.
In the instructional video, Mims played the role of a “person who was hiding,” later demonstrating to students how they could safely escape an active shooter situation. On Thursday, Mims found himself a few feet away from an armed classmate. He sprinted into an empty classroom, where he huddled quietly with dozens of other students until police entered the room.
“The video helped me out since I reacted right away and was able to do what I needed,” Mims said.
The school shooting that killed two and injured at least three people at Saugus High School Thursday comes amid a national debate around how to prepare for and respond to active shooter situations, with some schools and policymakers advocating a range of tactics — from “bulletproof backpacks” to curved hallways.
Seems like they are just hitting the replay button of Sandy Hoax with character, region and victim age class substitutions. I can’t even watch more than a few minutes of the Sheriff’s press conference. What are the chances an instructional video actor is actually in a mass shooting? I am so numb to this clap trap, don’t think I can dig into this one, James. The last one here in Colorado was so bogus… where should I start? The victory lap press conference with a hero that could not contain his amusement at what should be a somber and staid event and yet the mood was more like a prep rally. The only thing missing was the cheer leaders. The hero, his parents, lawyer (sports agent) were jovial and driven to laughter at the slightest provocation. When I show people this absurdity, they immediately find a non-sensical explanation to fill in the gap of logic. It’s the most maddening aspect of trying to call attention to the farcical press coverage. Like the Doublemint twins that were posing as Vegas shooting victims at the hospital. They just could not contain their joy of being shot and did a cheer leader duet cheer from a hospital event. If they were gunshot victims, I’m a monkey’s uncle. Go to the 3:16 mark of this video and another witness laughs and so does her “traumatized” dad. Freeze frame their happy expressions and ask people to guess what they are talking about. It’s beyond absurd, veering into a bizarro world turned on it’s ear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHX3nC43iLU