How to React to Gunfire

Upon hearing gunfire, quick thinking and sharp instincts are crucial. For the best chances of surviving a crisis situation, come up with an action plan in advance to guide your split-second decisions. Evaluate the situation, evacuate if possible, hide if you can’t flee, and defend yourself as a last resort. If you’re indoors, try to find a room that locks and call emergency services as soon as possible. If you’re in an open area, run for the nearest cover and try to stay out of sight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating an Action Plan

1
Locate a site's emergency routes and exits. You don't have to constantly assume that the worst will happen, but it's wise to notice the available routes and exits you could take in an emergency. Whether you're at an concert, restaurant, or a crowded city street, try to keep your bearings and know where you could run if necessary.^{[1]XTrustworthy SourceOfficial UK government websiteOfficial website for the public sector of the UK governmentGo to source}
- Initial responses to an emergency are often instinctive, and knowing escape routes beforehand is especially helpful in a crowded situation.
Witnessing gunfire can be a frightening experience, but you must do your best to remain calm. Try to think clearly and strategically to find the safest position available. If you call emergency services or encounter law enforcement, staying calm will help you communicate any necessary information.
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When you first notice something is wrong, stop what you’re doing and drop anything you're holding. If you’re standing conspicuously near a shooter, drop down flat to the floor. If you can determine where the gunfire originated, run away in the opposite direction.
Run away if you’re close to an exit, have a clear idea of where you’re heading, and can determine the direction where you heard shots. By running without thinking about where you’re going, you might head into the direction of the gunfire or attract the attention of the shooter.^{[2]XResearch source}
5
Evacuate the area if you’re near an exit. If an exit is close and you heard gunfire from an opposite direction, head straight for that exit and away from the building. Leave your belongings behind, do not attempt to move any wounded, and keep your hands visible so that emergency responders can see you’re unarmed.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Avoid running to an exit down a hallway. If an exit is down a long hallway, you might run into the shooter en route, so try to find an alternate exit or hide in a room that locks instead.
6
Help others escape and stay calm if you're in a crowd. A densely crowded crisis situation can be chaotic and confusing, but cooperation in extreme situations offers the best chances of safe evacuation. As you make your way to safety, try to help others escape as calmly and quickly as possible.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If you know the direction to safety, try to point the way to others.
- If others are panicking, try to calm them and, if possible, give them direction. Say something like, "Everything will be OK, but we have to stay calm and find cover. Let's head for the far side of this building away from the direction we heard gunshots."
If you can’t evacuate the area, try to stay out of sight and away from the shooter. If you’re indoors, find a room that locks, barricade the door, and turn off the lights. If you’re outside, try to find cover or a hiding spot, such as a parked car, patch of trees, brick wall, or other large, sturdy object.^{[5]XResearch source}
8
Call emergency services as soon as possible. As soon as you’ve evacuated or secured a hiding spot, contact emergency services. If you’re in a group, have one person call to avoid tying up the emergency lines.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Let them know your location, the number of people in your group, any injury information, and any information available about the shooter.
9
Take defensive action as a last resort. Your priorities should be to flee or hide. If a shooter confronts you and your life is in imminent danger, defend yourself as a last resort. Try to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter by:^{[7]XResearch source}
- Acting as aggressively as possible
- Throwing objects
- Using improvised weapons, such as a purse, belt, paperweight, or other nearby object
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Reacting to Gunfire Indoors

1
Try to find a room that locks. If you’re indoors and immediate evacuation isn’t possible, look for a nearby room with a door that locks. Barricade the door with the heaviest furniture in the room. Turn off the lights, silence your cell phone, and call emergency services as soon as safely possible.
- Don’t peek through or open the door to see what’s happening outside.
- Don’t activate the fire alarm if you hear gunfire indoors.
If the room is on the ground floor or has a fire escape, see if you can safely flee through the window. If window escape is not possible, find covered positions within the room, such as behind a copy machine or under a desk. Take cover and wait until law enforcement arrives.^{[8]XResearch source}
3
If others are with you, stick together as a group. If you’re locked in a room with other people, take a count to keep track of each member of the group. Quietly make a group decision about what to do if the shooter enters the room, such as rushing at the shooter with improvised weapons while others shout and throw objects.^{[9]XResearch source}
- When hiding with a group, spread out throughout your space. Huddling together can offer a shooter an easier target.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Responding to Gunfire Outside

1
Drop, then quickly move to better cover. If you’re in an open area, drop flat to the ground to evade gunfire as soon as you hear shots. Try to determine where the shots came from, and move out of the line of fire to the nearest available cover.
- Look for bushes, a brick wall, a ditch, or any other feature that puts you out of sight.
- If there's no cover within a two to three second sprint from your location, drop to the ground and crawl to cover.
Hide and contact emergency services. Once you’ve found cover or a relatively secure place, hide there, stay down, and don’t move. Don’t raise your head or peek out to see what’s happening. If you have a cell phone, call emergency services when you believe you can safely do so.
If you’re hiding inside a car, stay down, as windows obviously offer no protection. If you're using a car as cover from shooting, do your best to get away from the area where the gas/petrol tank is situated, which is usually just ahead of the rear axle. Try to hide behind the engine block by one of the front wheels.
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How do I react to gunfire if it's a drive-by and I'm in a building?
Community Answer
Drop to the floor and/or get behind or under a piece of furniture and stay there until it's safe.
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Question
I'm in my house trying to sleep and I hear loud sounds outside. They sound like gunshots but I'm not sure. I told my mom and she said they are fireworks. I'm not sure what to do.
Community Answer
Telling your mom was the right thing to do. Just let her handle things and, if necessary, she can contact your local authorities for help. If you're in a situation without a trusted adult, you can call emergency services and let them know what you've witnessed.
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I live near a park with a lot of crime and I heard gunshots what do I do?
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If you haven't heard any sirens and are concerned, call your local authorities.
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