Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office explains how to stay safe in active shooter situations

St. Louis Police patrol the outside of the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School... — St. Louis Police patrol the outside of the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School during an active shooter situation in St. Louis on Monday, October 24, 2022. Three people are dead, including the gunman, who appeared to be in his 20s. Eight others were transported to area hospitals. Police have not disclosed the shooter's connection to the school. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI(BILL GREENBLATT | UPI)

By Destinee Patterson

Published: Oct. 25, 2022 at 12:49 PM CDT

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - KSLA has reported on several active shooter situations throughout the country in public places, from grocery stores to schools to churches, etc.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), there were 61 active shooter situations in 2021. So how do you stay safe in these instances?

The FBI defines an active shooter “as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.”

The FBI defines an active shooter “as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.”

KSLA talked to Sgt. Tony LeBlanc, with CPSO’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. He helps businesses prepare their safety plans for emergency situations, including intruder events.

“A lot of places we go to don’t have any type of emergency plan in place, " he said. “The places that do have those plans, we review them for them and make suggestions because things can change. It’s a living, breathing document.”

Sgt. LeBlanc said he teaches classes free of charge.

For everyday people who may go into these businesses, he said people should “keep their heads on the swivel” and be aware of their surroundings.

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