Was the Oxford Shooting Preventable?

What warning signs were acknowledged?

How could this incident have been prevented?

On November 16th, parents reached out to the Oxford Superintendent and Principal to express concerns over the shooter’s behavior. The same day, the Superintendent claimed there was no threat to the high school. The shooter posted a photo of his new gun on social media. After the shooter was searching for ammunition in class, a teacher reported his behavior. The school called the shooter’s mother, but she didn’t answer. On the day of the shooting, November 30th, a teacher reported a drawing the shooter had created that portrayed someone being shot. A meeting with the shooter’s parents was called, but the shooter was sent back to class after.

The shooter’s interest in ammunition, access to a gun, social media posts, and drawings were cause for serious concern. The students, parents, and teachers who reported the shooter’s concerning behaviors all did the right thing.

Learn about the mistakes the school made here.

Active Assailant Prevention Is Possible When You See the Signs

It’s extremely rare that active assailants “just snap.” The typical assailant will exhibit observable behavioral signs of violence before a violent event takes place. This is called the “pathway to violence.” If Oxford school officials had listened to the parents and students who reported the shooter’s behavior on Nov. 16th and taken preventive action, the event may have been prevented.

Active assailant prevention can be achievable by reporting questionable behavior. Don’t leave anything up to chance. TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training can teach you to recognize violent behavioral indicators and respond accordingly. The training also features situational awareness, the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, response to injury, and more.

YOU can prevent events like these from occurring at your workplace. Let’s talk about preparedness training for your company today!