Wake Forest police host event to prepare citizens for active shooter situations

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- Active shooter events are all too random. That's why the Wake Forest Police Department is preparing its citizens just in case.

Dozens of people attended the first "Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events" class of 2019 at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre.

The class provided strategies, guidance and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event.

"When stuff happens, we have a tendency to not accept what we see," said Lieutenant Larry Danforth, who led the class. "When bad things happen and you're not sure what to do, you're going to wait for somebody else to help you out."

The seminar covered self-awareness and walked citizens through steps on what to do to defend themselves including the "run, hide, fight" method.

"Whether we do our job or not, the propensity for evil to show up is gonna be there so we have to help people if we can," Lt. Danforth said.

Debora Godfrey said she never thought she's attending a class like this in her lifetime.

"I want to make sure that I respond correctly and to protect myself," Godfrey said, who added that her church has come up with a plan on how to handle these types of events as well. "I think it's sad that these things happen the way they do."

Many of the methods taught are designed and built on the "Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy" developed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University.