SAN ANTONIO — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the Baptist Minister’s Union to host an active shooter training event following the recent scourge of gun violence across the nation.
The aftermath of the Uvalde mass shooting has prompted not just school districts but law enforcement and businesses to reassess their safety plans.
“We’re raising our game as unfortunately these crooks are getting better at their job of wreaking havoc in the community, we have to continue to get better at our job and that means giving the public information they need to protect themselves,” Salazar said.
BCSO’s active shooter training focuses on situational awareness and how to coordinate with law enforcement.
Salazar stressed the importance of understanding the psychology of an active shooter incident, which includes the mind of the assailant and how to react to the first shots fired if a gunman is on site.
“Now let’s say for arguments sake avoiding and denying access have failed and then we go into defense mode and that may mean picking up a fire extinguisher and hitting somebody on the head with it or stabbing them with a pair of scissors,” Salazar said.
Rev. Patrick Jones, former president of the Baptist Minister’s Union in San Antonio, feels mounting pressure to do everything he can to ensure the safety of those who come to pray every Sunday.
But he believes any law enforcement-provided training should be attended by everyone.
“Just last week you had the one that wanted to shoot up Amazon and that was foiled, then you have the school house shootings, the daycare shootings, parade shootings. Nothing has been off limits. We want to make sure, we want to try educate people on what to do if that ever happens wherever they are,” Jones said.
BSCO’s active shooter training event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church, which is located at 1534 Peck Ave in San Antonio.