First responders teamed up for a simulated emergency featuring an armed shooter at the Veterinary Medicine Administration Building on Wednesday.
In order to test emergency procedures and response protocols, Texas A&M University Police Department created a simulated environment on campus, involving The College Station Fire Department and other law enforcement and medical teams from Bryan-College Station.
“Witnesses” dialed 911 to report that an active shooter was at the administration school, said Mike Ragan, UPD chief.
Campus police arrived within two minutes of the phone call, where they received reports that the shooter was struggling with a jammed gun and had fled a lab he had contaminated with hazardous chemicals.
Campus police requested help from the Bryan-College Station police department, which sent its SWAT team. As the exercise played out, the teams found victims and located the shooter and the biohazard.
“So it was not only the active shooter and life safety for the individuals, but the biohazard element as well,” Ragan said.
and life safety for the individuals, but the biohazard element as well,” Ragan said.
At the conclusion, the suspect was handcuffed and questioned, Ragan said.
James Smith, custodial manager at the Vet School, said his role was to hide in a lab until the police arrived and escorted him out of the building.
“It was pretty intense, first the shooter passed through, but when the police entered the room that was when it got intense,” Smith said. “Because they want to get your attention and follow the commands and get you out safely without knowing if you are a suspect or victim.”
After volunteering in Wednesday’s exercise, Smith said his advice for an emergency situation was to listen to the officer’s commands and refrain from panic.
Daniel Reyes, a senior business major who works at the Vet School, by mistake was picked to play the role of the shooter. Reyes was in his office when he dialed 911 after seeing evidence of the shooter. He said the “shooter” had left notes around the building reading, “go away” or “get out of my head.” When the SWAT team arrived, they began to point their guns at him, Reyes said.
“I’ve never had a gun pointed at me before, but all of a sudden I had four pointing at me.”
The SWAT team handcuffed him and began questioning him. Reyes said he was “released” after someone identified him as a Vet School employee. They then uncuffed him.
“It was [very realistic],” Reyes said. “You didn’t really know what was going on. All of a sudden the door would just bust open, but before that you had no idea who was coming up or who was whispering. It really makes you think about the possibility of this happening and how fast it can happen.”