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Texas Church Massacre: Surviving An Active Shooter

Texas Church Massacre: Surviving An Active Shooter

Another horrifying mass killing occurred Sunday, November 5th at a church taking the lives of 26 people, including children, while they worshiped at the First Baptist Church in Southerland Springs, TX. The shooter, 26-year-old Devin Kelley, a dishonorably discharged Air Force servicemember with a history of violence against his family members and animals, entered the church and began randomly shooting. It is speculated that the murders were not religiously motivated but due to his wife and family being regular parishioners at the church. Nearby residents opened fire on the shooter and took chase when he ran out and left in his waiting SUV. After being shot by the armed citizen Kelley called his father during the chase to exclaim that he did not believe he "would make it". After crashing his vehicle, he shot and killed himself.

What do you do when a killer enters a church, movie theater or other venue where everyone is lined up in a constricted area and you can only move quickly right or left, where others are standing, sitting, or laying on the floor, or over the seats in front and behind you? How do you protect your loved ones next to you when a madman is shooting rapidly into your area and the crowd around you? When you are staring into the eyes of a deranged person who's only goal is to kill as many people they can in as short a time as possible, what can you do to survive?

If you don't have your own weapon to even the odds of survival, your next immediate actions may determine your fate, but everyone must act as a team, using the same or similar training to take down and neutralize the assailant. And where you are in relation to the killer is key to your survival, based on the action taken by you and those around you. When faced with this situation, you must stay A.L.I.V.E.

Assess
When a gunman opens fire in a crowded area, people will be injured and/or killed. The body count will depend on how and how quickly the intended victims react. In that split second when your brain acknowledges what is happening it must assess the situation in an instant and decide, based on where the gunman is and your available options, what to do next; leave, take cover or fight.

Leave
If you are near an exit and can escape with your loved ones without drawing fire from the shooter, stay low and run as fast and as far away from the incident as possible, not stopping until you are too far away to harm, calling 911 as soon as it is safe to do so.

Impede
If you are in an area of the venue where you can be hidden or take cover behind something solid, or even step into a side room where you can lock and/or block the door, do it immediately leaving your belongings behind. If you can only drop to the ground hoping the pews and/or seats between you and the gunman will stop or even just slow down bullets, do so until the people nearest the shooter can take him down.

Violence
Whomever is closest to the shooter must act aggressively and with the intent to kill. If a gunman is pointing his/her weapon to their left, the person(s) closest to him on his right must attack with all their might. Or if you are not immediately close to the shooter but he runs out of ammunition and must reload, if you believe you can get to him before he completes his reload, do whatever it takes, with anything available to make it impossible to continue firing. You must commit an act of unwavering violence on the assailant with the knowledge that if you do not kill the gunman, you yourself and the people you love will be killed.

Expose
Once the shooting has stopped, expose your position carefully. The gunman may have moved on, was disarmed or disabled or, is simply reloading or was injured but still a threat. There will be chaos, people screaming and crying creating confusion all around you. You may expose yourself too early and still be in danger or law enforcement may have arrived and you could startle them, appearing to be a threat, ending in you being shot accidentally.

Having a Security Mindset prior to, and a Survival Mindset once such an event begins is key to increasing your chances of survival. Being situationally aware such as taking note of exits and barrier to use as cover, and sitting or standing near them when possible should always be considered.

We cannot stop living our lives because of the continued heinous acts of evil people and we cannot always stop bad things from happening, but we can be prepared when they do.

LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER!

"Michael Julian has written an excellent book. Practical, detailed, and a potential life saver if you find yourself in the midst of a targeted attack."
J. Reid Meloy Ph.D. - ABPP Forensic Consultant, FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit Faculty, San Diego Psychoanalytic Center
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Instructional Read - I completed my reading of Mr. Julian's book "10 Minutes To Live" and I have to say this is one of the most concise and professional books I have read on active shooter survival. The book is excellent and straight to the point on ways for the individual to take action and provide for their own safety and survival. The book provides intricate information through the "ALIVE" presentation in an easy to remember format and adds more tools to the toolbox to survive an active shooter event. With the threat of active shooters becoming more pervasive each day across the United States, every piece of information that can be gained should be explored to prepare. The first book they should look at is the "10 Minutes To Live" book and place those ideas into action. This book has become an integral reference manual for my research on the subject of active shooter survival and it should be a part of any active shooter survival specialist's library looking for accurate and applicable information. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Amazon Customer
I hope I never need to act on the tips in this book, but I learned a lot from it - Sadly, I purchased this book the day before yet another mass shooting at a public school unfolded. Mr. Julian has laid out a straightforward and practical method for surviving. I can already see from reading this book and the news reports, how more lives could have been saved had the victims practiced what this author lays out here. I plan on carrying this book with me on vacations, business trips and to large gatherings. It might help me see the one extra thing that makes me a survivor instead of a statistic.
This is an excellent book that EVERYONE should read. This is a wealth of knowledge to prepare yourselves, just in case. We never know where terror might strike and we should know how to react to save ourselves and our loved ones.
Randy K.
Gives you an edge and a plan - This may save your life. Well written and thoughtful. Helps you clearly understand what you need to do to have a chance. Read and share with your friends and co-workers.
Tina Lizzie
Informative Book Everyone Should Read - This book is an informative read that, unfortunately, everyone should buy and read since we live during a time when we have active shooters too often!
Kimberly M Hawkins
Five Stars - Everyone should read.
Robert Sherwood
An outstanding, thoughtful, well-presented approach to a difficult subject. The format makes for an easy read.
Terry R. Cox
Excellent information for professionals and laymen alike - Michael lays this information out so everyone can understand it. Straightforward and to the point. Excellent information for professionals and laymen alike. Well done, my friend.
Five Stars - Excellent read and right on target. It is a must-read for Security and Police Professionals.
Dean A. Beers
First, I know Mr. Julian well, he is a close friend and close professional colleague. Be certain-my review is unbiased, with the exception of also being from my perspective. One reason he is such a good friend is we are on the same page-and this book confirms that. I have young grandkids and we have very direct conversations about their personal safety and bullying. How many regularly tell their kids and grandkids-no matter what, you get away alive because a bad person only wants to hurt and kill people. Some may not like that-but it's effective. How many, when walking in stores, malls, playgrounds, regularly ask their kids and grandkids what they would do if someone tried to grab them? Our daughters, when in elementary school, had someone try to grab them from the bus stop (they were the only two)-their reactions saved them. The very small town we lived in (literally one traffic light) had someone try to kidnap a young girl-adults saw it and stopped it, keeping the bad guy until the SRO got there within minutes. It's real life, folks. The odds are nothing will happen-but our lives, and those of our dearest loved ones, are not "odds." The best thing every person-every family, business, school, etc.-can do is Be Prepared (Boy Scouts) and Improvise, Adapt, Overcome (US Marines). Mr. Julian lays it out very strong and very simple for every person to stay ALIVE-Assess, Leave, Impede, Violence, Expose. No one is too young or old, strong or weak, to follow this. No special training-just a very strong mindset. Every school administrator, teacher, student, and parent should have this book as required reading at every grade.
Chris Story
Security professionals and others-Read and share this book. It could help save lives! I just read Michael Julian, CPI PPS CSP's book "10 Minutes To Live." I'm a voracious reader, often reading 3james -4 books at a time. At the same time I am discerning. If the back cover or first few pages don't make me want to continue, I move on fairly quickly. As a security professional, I have a critical eye for fluff and conjecture. With this book that was not the case. After the first chapter, I reached out to several colleagues and friends and recommended it. I also recommended Michael be a guest interview on a popular survival mindset podcast. This book is well written, well researched, cited, and yet easy to read and comprehend. It isn't a stale scholastic book on concept. It is an educational, read-and-apply-NOW manual for thinking through and surviving an active shooter event. His approach goes beyond the accepted "Run, Hide, Fight" and walks the reader through a mindset approach to surviving mass killing events. Regardless of background or experience, the author's simple and direct approach speaks volumes to the reader. The book is a must-read for security professionals and loved ones alike. It helps explain why and how mentally preparing now is simple survivability insurance in both corporate and personal settings. Well done! I look forward to more.
Randy Ontiveros
Excellent reading, very helpful and I would recommend to anyone who has thought "What would I do if a shooter appeared out of nowhere?" A box of rocks on each student's desk is not a solution. Read Michael's to find a better way.
Carl Scala
Great information geared towards surviving an active shooter/active threat situation - A very good read in explaining how to survive an active shooter/active threat situation for the novice. Having years of experience from the military, law enforcement and now Executive Protection, Mr. Julian breaks down the information in a very easy way so that it may open the reader's eyes to be more situationally aware. With all of the past decades of mass threat incidents, I highly recommend this book. It may just save your life.
Richard Marruffo
Great book!!! - Very well written and easy to read. Fantastic information and really hits home. I also highly recommend the Surviving an Active Shooter course taught by Mr. Julian!
Cynthia C.
Informative - Well written & concise. I would recommend to anyone interested in learning more about this topic.
James Hamilton - Gavin de Becker's VP
Do not sub-contract your own security - Excellent read on action to take to survive an Active Shooter situation.


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"As a retired 32 year law enforcement veteran, with several years of SWAT and tactical experience, I learned some different unique perspectives as it pertains to civilians dealing with active threat situations. Very good class for civilians who may have never experienced reacting to a life and death stressful situation."
- Christopher C.

A.L.I.V.E. STANDS FOR:


Assess

Assess the situation quickly


Leave

Leave the area if you can


Impede

Impede the shooter


Violence

Violence may be necessary


Expose

Expose your position carefully for safety

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MICHAEL JULIAN

Creator of A.L.I.V.E.

A.L.I.V.E., which stands for Assess, Leave, Impede, Violence, and Expose, was created in 2014 when Michael began teaching his Active Shooter Survival philosophy throughout the United States. His book on the subject, 10 Minutes to Live: Surviving an Active Shooter Using A.L.I.V.E. was published in 2017 and the online version of the A.L.I.V.E. Training Program was launched in 2019 and is now part of the corporate security training program for companies throughout the world.


Michael D. Julian - Creator of A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training

Why A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter
Survival Training Program?

The A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Program is a comprehensive training program designed to provide individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to survive an active shooter incident. Its emphasis on situational awareness and decision-making makes it a practical and effective approach to active shooter situations. By empowering individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves and others, the program can help prevent tragedies and save lives.


More Than

500,000

Civilians Trained


More Than

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Certified Instructors Throughout The World