Active-shooter events in the workplace: Findings and policy implications

Abstract

Employees and citizens generally view places of business as inherently safe. Business leaders sometimes make hasty security decisions in hopes of protecting their employees and customers. Leadership should have empirical data to aid in the decision-making process. This paper provides an exhaustive breakdown of active-shooter events in the workplace. The data are disaggregated by business function (eg retail, factory/warehouse, and office space) and include information on the shooter, the event itself, and how the event was resolved. The analyses are followed up by an in-depth discussion of potential policy changes supported by the data.