This past weekend brought two devastating reminders that active shooter and mass violence incidents are increasing in frequency and scope worldwide. On December 13, 2025, a gunman opened fire inside the Barus & Holley engineering building at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, killing two students and injuring nine others during a final exam review session. The shooter remains at large and the investigation continues.
Just one day later, on December 14, 2025, a horrific mass shooting unfolded during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, where two gunmen fired into a crowd, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 40. Australian authorities have declared the attack a terrorist incident.
These tragedies, occurring nearly back to back on opposite sides of the world, highlight an urgent truth: active threat events are not random anomalies — they are a modern reality. Preparing for them is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a necessity if we want to protect lives, families, and communities.
Two Very Different Settings, Same Need for Preparedness
The Brown University shooting happened on a college campus during what should have been a routine academic activity. Final exams and study sessions are not typically perceived as dangerous, yet an active threat unfolded quickly, with the shooter firing dozens of rounds before law enforcement could secure the scene.
The Sydney incident struck a public holiday event attended by families, friends, and community members celebrating Hanukkah. It was declared a terrorist attack, showing that active threats can also target large public gatherings and are not limited to any one type of location.
In both cases, victims had seconds, not minutes, to react and protect themselves.
What These Incidents Teach Us About the Nature of Active Threats
- Threats happen without warning. Neither shooting was predictable in location or timing.
- Crowded, public, and educational spaces are vulnerable. No environment is inherently “safe.”
- Seconds count. The moments between the first shot and first responders arriving are the most dangerous — and the hardest for untrained people to navigate.
Given this, reactive policies alone — lockdown alerts, sirens, or waiting for law enforcement — are not enough. A proactive mindset and skills are essential.
Why Awareness and Training Save Lives
Active threat training equips individuals and organizations with situational awareness, decision-making skills, and practical tactics to increase survival odds. Real training teaches people how to:
- Recognize danger early. Training builds the habit of looking for exits, unusual behavior, and threat cues long before violence occurs.
- Make instant decisions. Practical drills help people choose escape, concealment, or defense without freezing.
- Move with purpose. Knowing where to go and how to get there reduces chaotic crowd behavior.
- Use environment to protect themselves and others. This includes intelligent sheltering and, when necessary, impeding an attacker’s progress.
Without this preparation, people default to panic, hesitation, or unsafe choices just when clarity matters most.
The A.L.I.V.E. Method Applied
The A.L.I.V.E. Method was designed for real-world incidents like Brown University and Bondi Beach:
- Assess your surroundings and identify exits, threats, and safe zones.
- Leave immediately if there is a safe path.
- Impede the threat if you cannot escape, by reinforcing barriers or blocking lines of approach.
- Violence may be necessary as a last resort to survive an encounter.
- Expose critical information to first responders once you are safe.
Each step gives you options — and options save lives.
Training Is Not Fearful — It Is Empowering
It is understandable to hope active threats will never touch you or your community. But as these recent tragedies show, they can occur anywhere: on a university campus, at a public celebration, or in everyday life. The difference between fear and confidence is preparation.
Preparing does not mean living in fear. It means being ready — mentally and practically — to take decisive action that protects you and those around you.
Help Your Community Be Ready
You cannot control when violence happens, but you can control how prepared you are. Training gives individuals, schools, workplaces, and organizations the tools they need to act quickly and decisively when every second counts.
Contact Us Today to schedule life-saving active threat and situational awareness training.
Be aware. Be ready. Be A.L.I.V.E.
About the Author
Michael D. Julian is President of MPS Security & Protection and a 30-plus-year veteran of the security and investigations industry. He served as President of the California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI) from 2005 to 2015 and has led executive protection, residential security, and corporate investigations engagements for Fortune 500 principals, high-net-worth families, and public figures across the United States. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.