Active shooters almost always leave clues before they attack; here’s what to look for

By Greg Mellen, Behind the Badge

It is the nightmare scenario. Mass shootings have become a seemingly ever-more prominent backdrop to life in the United States.

The recent shootings, in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the racially motivated massacre in a Buffalo, N.Y. supermarket, and, closer to home, the attack at a church in Laguna Woods, have driven home that these kinds of tragedies can happen anywhere, to anyone, and for any reason.

In their ruthlessness, hatred and seeming randomness, mass shootings strike at the heart of a society’s psyche.

“Active shooters are the hardest to deal with because they are willing to die,” said Sgt. Gus Gonzalez, who is the SWAT Sergeant for the Tustin Police Department. “With that mindset, it’s hard to combat.”

In response to the heightened activity and concern over such occurrences, public safety groups are rallying to raise public awareness on how to react.

Locally, efforts like SafeOC have continually pressed the message If You See Something, Say Something, and have included tips on how to report suspicious or potentially serious situations you may see online or on social media. Read the full story on Behind the Badge->