This article is dedicated to the memory of the victims in Newtown, Connecticut and the heroes who saved others.

Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut was the scene of one of America’s worst-ever school massacres on Friday.  Police arrived shortly after the 9:40 a.m. 911 call, but by that time, at least 26 people, including 20 children were found shot dead.  Police found the killer dead by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound; 20-year-old Adam Lanza.  Among those killed was also Lanza’s mother, at the family home.

The shooting at Sandy Hook began in the main office.  Students throughout the building heard the initial gunfire as it was heard over the PA system.  The shooter then opened fire in the nearby kindergarten classroom where most of the bodies were found and then killed himself.

Last week, it was the Clackamas Town Center shooting, outside of Portland, Oregon. Yesterday it was Sandy Hook.  Ford Hood, Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora…what will tomorrow bring? That is the question law enforcement has asked itself since the coming of Columbine.

All of us are familiar with the first-responder role.  Police have a demonstrated track record of excellence in response to Active Shooter Incidents (ASI’s).  Newton and Connecticut State Police, as well as other agencies under mutual aid agreements, responded very well to this sad situation, but all the victims and the shooter were already dead, by the time they arrived.  This is a typical prompt police action after an ASI.  LEOs are duty-bound to contain death and injuries at ASI’s, but can’t we take a step further? The First Responder is important and continuous training to respond to such incidents is imperative.  However, it is not enough.

Can’t we give law enforcement a better chance for success by educating them about what steps occur before the Active Shooter implements his evil plan? We can we go further, with the public’s help, in identifying potential active shooters before they hurt others.

Sandy Hook teachers responded to this horror with valor and saved many lives.  Principal Dawn Hochsprung championed safety at her school.  This vivacious and caring administrator tweeted in October about safety drills and new safety standards at the school.  She gave her life for her students.  Clearly, these teachers and staff were prepared to respond to a threat.  Someone in the office, while under attack, keyed the PA system so that others in the building could hear the violence and take steps to protect the children.  Lives were saved because the teachers were prepared to act under threat.

An alert and courageous mother in Bolivar, Missouri averted a tragedy when she alerted police to her son’s erratic behavior.  He admitted to planning an ASI.  Shortly after the Aurora Massacre, alert Pitney Bowes employees in Maryland contacted police regarding a disgruntled employee.  Turns out he was contemplating a copy-cat incident.  Freedom High School in Tampa Florida school employees alerted law enforcement regarding a troubled student, who planned to kill others at his high school. In all of these cases, law enforcement was able to prevent tragedy because an educated and courageous public notified them. NIJ statistics indicate that over 90% of AS’s engage in recognized erratic behavior and often tell others about their twisted views before the incident.  The more the public understands this phenomena; the better law enforcement can respond to preventing tragedy.

All of these incidents show the efficacy of law enforcement, school authorities, and workplace senior staff working in concert to recognize the signs of a troubled individual who may act out in the future.  One common denominator among all AS is that the offenders perceive themselves as victims.  Whether they suffer from school bullying, personality disorders, or are frustrated by treatment at work, in their minds, they are justified.

Reasonable people understand that a 20-year-old shooter cannot possibly be the victim of a kindergarten student, but our goal is to understand the mindset of the shooter.  What was the connection between the mother, the son, and these precious children preparing for life that he chose to act out at the school? The key issue is not whether it makes sense to us, but how it made sense to him.

According to the National Institute for Justice (NIJ), 71% of AS’s reported feeling bullied, threatened or attacked by others.  Attorney and forensic psychologist Dr. Brian Russell reported Friday on Fox News that there are always signs which indicate that a troubled individual may be ready to act out.

The Five Phases of the Active Shooter, as theorized by Lt. Dan Marcou are:

Fantasy Stage

Planning Stage

Preparation Stage

Approach Stage

Implementation Stage

Can you imagine Adam Lanza fantasizing about what he was going to do? Did he tweet about it or list something on the Internet about his thoughts?  What warning signs were in place?  An acquaintance of Lanza’s posted on Facebook that he was “not surprised” by Lanza’s actions.  Would this incident have occurred if he had reported Lanza’s conduct and ideations? Media reports indicate that Lanza was a gamer.  Could involvement in playing violent video games have supported his fantasies of carnage?

Lanza was clearly well prepared with BDU clothing, a Kevlar vest, weapons, and ammunition. Would this situation have turned out differently if an alert employee had noticed these purchases in combination with odd behavior?  Law enforcement can intervene without danger or death during these first three stages.  If the public understands what to look for, they can be heroes just like the mother in Bolivar, Missouri. Everyone today is asking, “How do we stop this?”  The answer is, by not letting it begin.

Times are tough these days.  Funding for mental health issues is declining while situations which fuel erratic behavior and troubled individuals are increasing. This represents a lethal combination which must be addressed.  Everyone who has emotional issues does not become an AS.  However, we must learn the signs which may indicate that someone is stepping over the line from being troubled to planning an ASI.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in commenting on this tragedy asked all of us to avoid providing simplistic answers to a very complex issue.  However, in a first effort to understand how to prevent an ASI, on January 10, 2013, Lt. Dan Marcou will be speaking at Iona College located in New Rochelle, NY in a conference planned to be affordable for everyone.  He will discuss the Five Phases to stress that with the help of other community members, law enforcement can intercede before a person is injured or there is a loss of life.  Now we must learn the warning signs and intervene ahead of time, before the carnage begins.  This training is open to members of the education field, law enforcement, and the general public.

To register for the Five Stages of the Active Shooter presentation refer to: http://www.iona.edu/academic/artsscience/departments/criminaljustice/conference.cfm

Learn more about this article here:

The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United Stats(pdf, 63 pages), Washington, DC: U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education, May 2002.

http://lawpsyc.com/areas.htm

One thing criminal justice experts understand about Active Shooter Incidents (ASI) is that such tragedies will not fade away on their own. An ASI will reappear from time to time in a host of situations unless citizens, school or workplace authorities make an effort to forewarn law enforcement officials. Past incidents make it clear that, more often than not, questionable conduct of a potential active shooter is not brought law enforcement’s attention.  Such information tends to go unreported. Most often law enforcement is called upon after the shooting begins.

 The role of first responders is important.  First responders are efficient, effective, professional, and continually evolve with changing times. However, law enforcement can do much more in addressing Active Shooters if given the opportunity.  All members of society must take the lead in providing reliable information to local law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement officials depend upon information being brought to their attention for evaluation and follow up before the shooting begins.

Society must do more to assist law enforcement. The Active Shooter can be defeated before the shooting begins if citizens are proactive in informing the police about questionable behavior.  Terrorism has been addressed in the same way; “If you see something, say something.”

No one will lose their civil liberties guaranteed under the Bill of Rights.  At the same time, members of the public providing information about possible Active Shooters to the police will ensure that others will not lose their right to live. Society must take an active role in providing law enforcement the appropriate information to initiate a proactive rather than a reactive approach. Let’s stop the killing before it begins.

A 2002 study by the Secret Service and the Department of Education reviewed 37 school shootings.  There was no identifiable profile of a potential active shooter, but some common facts emerged. An ASI is typically planned well in advance, according to the study.  Active shooters have access to weapons and have used them prior to the ASI.  Most active shooters gain access to firearms from their own homes or from family member’s homes.

With this information in mind, consider what happened recently at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado, a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and at a private residence in College Town, Texas, near Texas A&M University. Furthermore, consider what did not happen in Maryland shortly after the Aurora Massacre.  Alert Pitney-Bowes employees alerted local law enforcement about a troubled employee.  Armed with a search warrant, police entered his residence, preventing a tragedy.

The former employee suggested that he planned to kill his supervisor and office workers. The police overwhelmed this individual before one round was fired. Valid information from civilians established probable cause for the execution of a search warrant of the suspect’s residence. The police believed he was a potential Active Shooter. A search of the residence led to the discovery of a stockpile of weapons. This individual was in possession of the weapons to carry out his threat. The police cannot accomplish such tasks without the cooperation of the public.

In past LET articles, I have addressed the importance of understanding the Five Phases of an Active Shooter.   This topic has become important to me following my thesis, which examined the Victim-Offender Overlap. I had the opportunity to compare two study groups over a two-year period. My findings were that every criminal offender took on a life of offending because he grew tired of perceiving himself as a victim. All the subjects of my study were victims of crime and lived within a world of criminality. Conversely, Active Shooters tend to have no criminal history, and their victimization is perceived within primarily either a school setting or the work environment. An Active Shooter incident is a solution to the perception of victim hood.

A few years ago, my interest in preventing Active Shooter Incidents led to a dinner conversation with Lt. Dan Marcou, an expert in the Active Shooter phenomena.  Lt. Marcou developed the theory of the Five Stages of the Active Shooter.  He and I discussed the role of the first responder and his experience responding to a 2004 ASI in Oak Creek Wisconsin.  Strangely, this was the same location as the recent Sikh Temple shooting. Lt. Marcou’s courage in that situation earned him the SWAT Officer of the Year designation. Lt. Marcou has written several books and provides presentations regarding his theory throughout the United States.

The Five Stages of the Active Shooter are:

Fantasy Stage

The shooter exhibits fantasies about hurting others in speech, drawings, writing or as posted online. This is the best time to intervene. A criminal act has not yet occurred. Nobody has been hurt.  At this stage, a potential AS is crying out for help. If police are notified, assistance may be provided without incident.

The following incidents have occurred:

Virginia Tech Shooting – A panel was convened to review the circumstances leading up to the shooting. The finding of the study accuses the university of a systemic failure to respond to Seung-Hui Cho’s two-year history of mental health troubles on campus or to communicate effectively as Seung-Hui Cho, murdered 32 students and faculty before turning a gun on himself.

Gabby Gifford Shooting – Jared Loughner was suspended from Pima Community College. He was believed to be a danger to others. Loughner appeared to be mentally ill or under the influence of drugs. Police documents released by the college indicated various instructors, students and others described Mr. Loughner as “creepy,” “very hostile,” “suspicious” and someone who had a “dark personality.”

Loughner was not permitted to return to the school until he could provide documentation by a mental health expert that he was not a threat to others. Pima Community College acted appropriately to safeguard the school from Loughner’s bizarre behavior.  However, PCC authorities failed to notify local law enforcement this individual was considered a risk to others. Soon thereafter, Representative Gabrielle Gifford was shot in the head when Loughner opened fire outside a grocery store during a constituent’s meeting, killing 6 people and wounding 13 others.

Planning Stage

The shooter’s thoughts are replaced by action at this stage. He is making decisions about targets, activities, as the when, where, and how are being coordinated. An individual planning an ASI may research topics on a computer or even write and publish a manifesto authorizing death warrants.

The Aurora Colorado shooter created such a manifesto, which was discovered in the University of Colorado Mailroom shortly after the tragedy. Reportedly, the shooter provided information and diagrams regarding his intentions.

Intervention at this stage brings all activity to a stop. The circumstances will dictate if medical treatment or legal action is required to address the situation at this stage, if law enforcement is given an opportunity to intervene.

Preparation Stage

The potential shooter devotes time to gather needed materials to complete the deadly task. Items can be purchased to construct explosives. Ammunition may be acquired or purchased. The potential shooter practices his moves. The shooter is ensuring that he can carry out the plan. A potential active shooter tends to forewarn friends to stay away. An alert range master, ammunition dealer, or other vendors may be key in identifying a potential active shooter at this state.  If law enforcement is notified of a potential shooter’s suspected intentions, there is a possibility that police can intercede without the loss of life.

Approach Stage

This is a very dangerous time.  The shooter is committed to carrying out his plan. He is headed toward his intended target. Most likely, he has his weapons on his person or secreted nearby.  Law enforcement may unknowingly engage the shooter by initiating an unrelated traffic stop or may be directed to the shooter based on reported suspicious conduct. This is the last opportunity to overcome the shooter before he acts out.

Implementation Stage

The shooter makes his entry. The plan is in action. The shooting begins. People are being injured and killed. Four phases have already transpired. This is the last one. It is usually at this point law enforcement receives the first call.  Law enforcement has become very quick, efficient, and effective at this stage. Unfortunately, this action tends to be too little, too late. The police are on scene when people are already either wounded or dead.  The shooter has often taken his life by the time officers respond.

The Active Shooter phenomena will not be defeated without education of law enforcement, workplace, and school personnel.  Law Enforcement Today and Iona College of New Rochelle, New York will co-host two speaking engagements by Lt. Dan Marcou, an expert in the Active Shooter, on January 10, 2013. Lt. Marcou will address how understanding and identifying the Five Phases of the Active Shooter provides a proactive approach in defeating such incidents. More information will be provided soon about how to register for this critically-important conference.

Jim Gaffney, MPA is LET’s risk management /police administration contributor.  He has served with a metro-New York police department for over 25 years in varying capacities, including patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, PIO, and executive officer. He is a member of ILEETA, IACP, and the IACSP.   Jim received the Medal of Honor upon graduating from Iona College.  He then completed a two year study evaluating the Victim-Offender Overlap. Jim graduated Magna Cum Laude upon receiving his Master of Science in Public Administration. Jim mentors the next generation of LEOs by teaching university-level criminal justice courses as an adjunct professor in the New York City area.

Learn more about this article here:

http://www.ltdanmarcou.com/

http://lawenforcementtoday.com/2012/01/08/anniversary-of-the-gabby-giffords-shooting/

http://lawenforcementtoday.com/2011/12/09/virginia-tech-revisite/#comments

http://lawenforcementtoday.com/2012/04/07/defeat-school-shooters-before-the-first-shot/

http://lawenforcementtoday.com/2012/07/30/if-you-see-something-say-something/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/30/AR2007083000759.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/us/13college.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Oikos University in Oakland, California is the latest school to fall victim to an active shooter incident (ASI).  As similar as one ASI may be in comparison with other incidents, each incident is also unique unto itself.

The shooter, One L. Goh, was upset with fellow students as well as a member of the administrative staff.  Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan mentioned factors which tend to be commonplace in an ASI.   Chief Jordan indicated that Goh felt disrespected. Jordan stated that people associated with the school laughed at Goh. They made fun of his poor English speaking skills. This belittling made him feel isolated from students and staff.   Goh’s past behavioral issues led to Oikos University to expel him. He chose to return months later armed with a handgun looking for a school administrator with whom he had issues.  Goh didn’t find her, but killed 7 other people; 1 staff member and 6 students.

Dissimilarities include the fact that Goh is 43. Active school shooters tend to be males from teenage years to early twenties. Goh did not commit suicide. Quite often an ASI is over minutes after it begins, with the shooter killing himself.

Goh escaped to a nearby Safeway supermarket and told the security guard he needed to talk to the police because he shot people. He surrendered to police without incident. This is not typical behavior of a person who has executed 7 people.

Also unusual is Goh’s cooperation with the investigation. The police have a unique opportunity to gain understanding by speaking with Goh himself, instead of being limited to reconstructing a crime scene and interviewing victims and witnesses. One thing Goh has not done is inform  police about the location of his firearm.

A 2002 study by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education reviewed 37 school shootings.  There was no identifiable profile of a potential active shooter, but some common facts emerged. An ASI is typically planned well in advance, according to the study.  Active shooters have access to weapons and have used them prior to the ASI.  Most active shooters gain access to firearms from their own homes or from family member’s homes.

In January, 2011, Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford and 18 other people were shot by Jared Loughner. Six people were killed.  Loughner had earlier been expelled from Pima Community College (PCC).   He was advised that he could not return to PCC until a mental health professional had documented he was not a danger to himself or others.

PCC left out one important step.  The local, non-campus law enforcement agency was not advised that Loughner was considered to be a danger to himself and others. Loughner purchased a firearm. Why was he able to buy a gun? No record existed that Loughner was mentally unstable.   This misstep demonstrates the critical importance of local police and the college community working proactively to address the needs of students for their own protection, as well as that of the public and other students.

Firearm ownership is protected in the Bill of Rights.  The issue is not to keep weapons out of the hands of law-abiding, mentally stable citizens.  However, educational authorities can assist in keeping guns out of the hands of unstable individuals by learning the warning signs of a potential active shooter and reporting them as appropriate to local law enforcement.

Troubled students need to receive timely and appropriate assistance.  Schools must learn how to intervene when a student may be having thoughts about injuring himself or others prior to the commission of a crime.  A student is still reachable by professional counseling at this point.  If the student is not open to counseling by the school, then the school may be obligated to reach out for assistance. It is antiquated thinking to believe that if an outside agency becomes involved with solving a student’s problem the school has failed.  This is not correct.

A school fails when corrective action is not initiated. The earlier a potential problem is recognized, the more likely it is that it can be corrected. If schools fail to take action until the active shooter walks through the door, the only thing police can do is react after the fact.  People are dying as 911 is first called. The first responder is at a distinct disadvantage. Shots are being fired. People are being killed and now police must fight through chaos to gain control.

Last year, prior to attending the ILEETA Conference, I had dinner with Lt. Dan Marcou, an expert in active shooters. Marcou developed the theory of the Five Stages of the Active Shooter, which I outline below:

Fantasy Stage

The shooter exhibits fantasies about hurting others in speech, drawings, writing or as posted online. This is the best time to intervene. A criminal act has not yet occurred. Nobody has been hurt.  At this stage, a potential active shooter is crying out for help. If police are notified, assistance may be provided without incident.

Planning Stage

The shooter’s thoughts are replaced by action at this stage. He is making decisions about targets, activities, as the when, where, and how’s are being coordinated. An individual planning an ASI may research topics on a computer or even write and publish a manifesto authorizing death warrants. Intervention at this stage brings all activity to a stop. The circumstances will determine if medical treatment or legal action is required to address the situation if law enforcement is given an opportunity to intervene.

Preparation Stage

The potential shooter devotes time to gather needed materials to complete the deadly task. Items can be purchased to construct explosives. Ammunition may be acquired or purchased. The potential shooter practices his moves. The shooter is ensuring that he can carry out the plan. A potential active shooter tends to forewarn friends to stay away. If law enforcement is notified of a potential shooter’s suspected intentions, there is a possibility that police can intercede without the loss of life.

Approach Stage

This is a very dangerous time.  The shooter is committed to carrying out his plan. He is headed toward his intended target. Most likely, he has his weapons on his person or secreted nearby.

Law enforcement may unknowingly engage the shooter by initiating an unrelated traffic stop or may be directed to the shooter based on reported suspicious conduct. This is the last opportunity to overcome the shooter before he acts out.

Implementation Stage

The shooter makes his entry. The plan is in action. The shooting begins. People are being injured and killed. Four phases have already transpired. This is the last one. It is usually at this point law enforcement receives the first call.  Law enforcement has become very quick, efficient, and effective at this stage. Unfortunately, this action tends to be too little, too late. The police are on scene when people are already either wounded or dead.  The shooter has often taken his life by the time officers respond.

Once the stages of the active shooter are clearly understood, it becomes evident that middle school, high school, college, and university authorities need to take a more aggressive stance in addressing how students treat fellow students. If law enforcement is not a welcomed partner to stop the active shooter, then this responsibility belongs to the school alone.

School shooting situations demonstrate the importance of school resource officers (SRO) working in middle and high schools to offset the possibility of an ASI. A SRO tends to bond and communicate well with students. The SRO open lines of communication directly with students, staff, and administration; a familiar face of the local police department working within the school environment. School administrators and parents may be unsure of this program at first, until they understand that an SRO is not there to interfere. The officer is there to assist students on behalf of the police department.

Some colleges and universities have a campus police force. This is a great benefit. The campus police, aside from conducting their everyday duties, also have officers who are familiar with students, the campus design, and campus buildings.  In the terrible event of an ASI, their response will be quicker.  Campus police personnel have far more familiarity with the campus than local police officers.  Campus police departments can coordinate a first-responder approach on scene supported by the arrival of the local police departments providing mutual aid assistance.

Every college and university cannot maintain a police force. Local police can also partner with college administration on a continual basis so that police presence is not limited to responding when there is a significant emergency. I understand that there may be issues raised regarding a student’s right to privacy. I respect one’s right to privacy, but I believe one has the right to live as well!

Harassment, hazing, humiliation, and bullying are circumstances which cause a vulnerable people to experience victimization. If such students do not receive the positive help they need, they may become an active shooter. A school certainly should take the lead in monitoring the conduct of all their students, but the proactive assistance of law enforcement as needed should not be overlooked.

School shootings can be prevented through intervention. Active shooters are exposed to conduct in which they perceive themselves as victims. These perceptions result in the internal justification to act out as an active shooter.  Shooters retaliate for all that they perceive has been done to them, such as in the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings. They frequently have no remorse, as is the case with One Goh.  Educated intervention early in the process is the key to saving lives and managing risk within our local schools and college campuses.

Jim Gaffney, MPA is LET’s risk management/police administration contributor.  He has served with a metro-New York police department for over 25 years in varying capacities including patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, and executive officer. He is an ILEETA and ICAP member. Jim mentors the next generation of LEO’s by teaching university-level criminal justice courses as an adjunct professor in the New York City area.

Learn more about this article here:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/03/us/california-shooting/index.html

http://truthfrequencynews.com/oakland-college-gunman-felt-bullied-turned-himself-in-yet-feels-no-remorse/

http://www.safehavensinternational.org/police-say-gunman-at-oakland-california-school-opened-fire-when-students-failed-to-comply-with-his-instructions/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9183567/California-shooting-Oakland-gunman-One-Goh-was-looking-for-female-administrator.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0110/Why-Jared-Loughner-was-allowed-to-buy-a-gun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tucson_shooting

http://www.school-training.com/newsletter/articles/submitted/active-shooter.shtml

A high-profile case receives the most attention when the actions last taken are brought to the limelight. This is what happened after Josh Powell had orchestrated the premeditated murder of his two sons.

Law enforcement learned from school shootings and changed the way it responds. We took steps to understand such incidents. Lt Dan Marcou developed the theory of the Five Stages of the Active Shooter.

1. Fantasy Stage

2. Planning Stage

3. Preparation Stage

4. Approach Stage

5. Implementation Stage

We need to do the same with killers like Josh Powell.  Until recently, little has been known about the qualities and the risk factors of so-called family annihilators, which is the category Powell falls under.

Family annihilators are overwhelmingly white and male. These killers fall into two types, the coercive/abusive killer and the so-called “civil reputable” type.  Richard Gelles, Dean at UPenn’s School of Social Policy reports that these family annihilators are motivated by a sick sense of caring for their families.  Gelles reports that, “his (the killer’s) entire identity is in his family.”  From Powell’s twisted world view, he was protecting the remainder of his family from its disintegration when he was charged with his wife’s murder.   Research indicates that family annihilators are increasing as the economy continues to stagnate.

Powell never should have been in a position to take on the role of a killer. He brutally murdered his children and committed suicide in sync with burning his house to the ground during a scheduled supervised visitation with his children. This incident is a new lesson to be learned by those entrusted to protect children from harm.

News coverage of the Powell’s premeditated murder of his sons, Charlie, age 7 and Braden, age 5 along with his suicide ended much like an active shooter incident typically ends.  This concerns me. The one way to defeat the active shooter or in this case, Powell’s role as a family annihilator, is to defeat their efforts before the killing begins. The question in this case has to be, why was the visitation made in Powell’s home rather than a neutral location where the social worker could control the surroundings?

The 911 communication during this call is being investigated. As troubling as those communications appear, Charlie and Braden did not lose their lives because of the police department or the social worker. The boys lost their lives when Josh Powell slammed the door closed, denying the social worker entrance into the residence.   Powell ensured he would not be overcome.

By the time the police were contacted, Powell was actively in the process of murdering his children. After Powell attempted to behead his sons, he ignited the gasoline. The house burned like an inferno. The social worker screamed, “He blew up the house!” Clearly, Powell ended things as planned. He took his sons and his home with him leaving nothing behind aside an apology for those who he has hurt.

Powell could not live without his sons. This was his perverted self-justification in taking their lives. Some of the reports say that the children were talking about the fact that “Daddy put Mommy in the trunk.”  Now that they could speak more clearly, it would only be a matter of time before he’d be charged. Powell’s lone alternative (in his own mind) was to complete a double murder/suicide. It is not unreasonable to consider he did not want his children taken from him knowing in time they would learn he, in fact, murdered their mother. The discovery of a bedspread with Amy Powell’s blood on it in a storage shed after Powell’s death confirms his guilt.

Since 2009, when Powell reported his wife, Amy, missing, he has been a person of interest in her disappearance. Regarding the 911 communications released the telling phrase to me is when the social worker stated, “You don’t understand, he is on a very short leash!”

How could Powell have been stopped? In reviewing the Five Phases of the Active Shooter, a guide is available for consideration which may apply for another type of heinous crime, that of the family annihilator.

Fantasy is the first phase. Prior to any action taken by Powell, he had to fantasize about what to do and how to do it. He considered how the incident would be portrayed by the media. Powell had the answer. By voicemail communication, he told the world that he could not live without his children.  He apologizes to anybody he hurt. His final word spoken would be “goodbye!” The fantasy phase leads to the planning phase.

Planning deals with deciding the best time and place to accomplish the task. In this case, what is more perfect than having your children brought to you at home? Powell would complete his killing within the comfort of his home. All Powell needed to determine at this time was what tools he would need to successfully complete the double murder of his sons, his suicide, and arson of his residence once shared with his missing wife, Amy.

As Powell decided upon the items he needed, he entered the preparation phase. He purchased gasoline containers, donated his children’s toys and books, and made a significant withdrawal from his bank account. Reportedly, this was done to have money outside his account available to cover expenses. He was prepared and ready to take action.

Routinely, in the case of an active shooter, the shooter approaches his intended targets. Powell’s actions were anything but routine. Powell’s children were brought to him.

The approach phase is in place when the active shooter is committed to following through as Powell did. He held the door of his residence open for his children and then slammed it closed to deny the social worker access. Everything was now in place.

Powell began the final stage, the implementation stage. He initiated his surprise at a time the police had yet to be contacted. The Powell children were locked in the house; the social worker was locked out.  Powell leaves his voicemail. Charlie and Braden were then slaughtered and left for dead as the house exploded and burned to the ground. Powell has completed his task of annihilating his family.

Law enforcement did not have a chance to save Braden and Charlie. The actions of all the players will be reviewed, but the question will not be to address law enforcement’s failure to respond as much as it will have to do with what legislative action will be introduced to strengthen a child’s right to safety over a parent who is innocent until proven guilty.

Jim Gaffney, MPA is LET’s risk management /police administration contributor.  He has served with a metro-New York police department for over 25 years in varying capacities including patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, and executive officer. He is an ILEETA and ICAP member. Jim mentors the next generation of LEO’s by teaching university-level criminal justice courses as an adjunct professor in the New York City area.

Learn more about this article here:

http://articles.cnn.com/2012-02-10/justice/justice_washington-powell-case_1_josh-powell-storage-unit-joshua-powell?_s=PM:JUSTICE

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57374542/josh-powell-to-boys-ive-got-a-big-surprise/

http://www.school-training.com/newsletter/articles/submitted/active-shooter.shtml

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/02/10/inside-the-minds-of-family-annihilators.html