Chairman’s Column: Active Shooter Incidents

How prepared is your company in the event of an active shooter? New FBI research shows nearly half of these shootings occurred in places of commerce; and the study goes further, helping distinguish risk based on factors such as whether the business is open or closed to pedestrian traffic.

I urge corporate decision makers to review information found in a newly-released study by the FBI, A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013. The FBI study has a wealth of information and is worth the read.

Recognizing how many of these happen in corporate America, it’s vital that companies evaluate their security and human resource policies and procedures with an eye on prevention techniques. Among the findings, 73 incidents, or 45.6% of the 160 incidents, occurred in a commercial setting. The study identified six incidents which occurred in malls, 44 in businesses generally open to pedestrian traffic, and 23 in businesses generally closed to pedestrian traffic. Most notably, in businesses closed to pedestrian traffic, 22 of the 23 shooters were either current or former employees of the business. The other shooter had a relationship with an employee.

Andrew J. Castor is the FBI’s deputy associate deputy director and oversees the management of all FBI personnel, budget, administration, and infrastructure. Prior to his assignment in the Director’s Office, Mr. Castor served as the deputy assistant director for Counterterrorism. In his 25 years with the FBI, he has managed both criminal and national security investigations, as well as held leadership positions in both finance and human resources. Mr. Castor holds degrees in Accounting and a Masters in Business Administration.