Foundations of threat assessment and management

Abstract

In June of 2014 a Seattle Pacific University student tackled and pepper-sprayed an active shooter on campus who had killed one person and injured two others ("1 dead, others hurt,” 2014). In April of 2015 in Washington State, a North Thurston High School teacher confronted and overpowered a 16-year-old school shooter who had fired two shots inside the high school (“Teacher Tackles Shooter,” 2015). In the summer of 2015, a heavily armed gunman opened fire on a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris before being challenged by passengers, two of whom were US soldiers (“The Men Who Averted,” 2015). These disruptions were heroic, incredibly brave, and saved countless lives. The right people were in the right place at the right time; they recognized the signs of the attack and made the decision to challenge the offender.