RRSpin - Only a drill: PD to assess active shooter scenario at RRHS

Tuesday, 16 August 2016 13:17

Only a drill: PD to assess active shooter scenario at RRHS

Written by Lance Martin

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Shots rang out at Roanoke Rapids High School, about three or four pow, pow, pows and then the gunman, dressed in camo, appeared, going across the courtyard of the campus.

He fired more shots and then disappeared around the gym.
This was only a drill.

Editor's note: The face of the student playing the shooter in the photo gallery has been intentionally altered

View the embedded image gallery online at:
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More shots were heard from the back of the school and, for purposes of the drill, six people were injured, the gunman taken into custody.
The shots were fired around 10 a.m.and the school was declared safe around 10:30 a.m.
The Roanoke Rapids Police Department will begin assessing the effectiveness of the exercise, Chief Chuck Hasty said.
He declined to give an early assessment. “Anything we do can be improved on and done in different ways to get the job done. We make adjustments accordingly.”
Had it been an actual emergency, law enforcement from around the area would have responded, he said.
“We have plans and protocols in place,” school system spokesman Les Atkins said. “We have plans in place for weather, water main breaks. We have plans. This is a good way to practice those plans.”
The plan for this scenario would be to immediately inform the central office, the police and then notify parents the school was on lockdown through its all-call system using texts and voicemail. “There would be more updates on social media and the school system’s website until we get an all clear from police.”
While it’s something the school system doesn’t want to happen, it gives the police department training and the school system training.
“Our teachers will also being undergoing additional training in the coming weeks as part of their overall back to school orientation,” Atkins said. “We do want to thank our school resource officers, Roanoke Rapids police, Roanoke Rapids fire, EMS, and public works for their planning of today's drill. Training exercises such as this only make us better and more proactive in our respective roles.”
The Roanoke Rapids Fire Department was on standby, Deputy Chief Mike Clements said.
Had it been an actual emergency, he said, “We would assist with victims along with Halifax County EMS and Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad.”
Captain Andy Bryant of the police department said planning for the event had been ongoing for two months and was based on a number of school shootings across the country. “We’re very appreciative of the school system to work with us.”
Hasty said it will probably take a week or so to go through the assessment of the operation. He said it will show “what we did right and what we did wrong.”
Deputy Chief Andy Jackson said, “Any day of training is a good day.”

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