AU to engage in active shooter response training exercise in light of mass shootings

The Augusta University Police Department is one of many community organizations that will participate in an active shooter response training exercise. (photo courtesy of AU Police)

By Rakiyah Lenon | Editor in chief

As part of the community wide #strongaugusta initiative, Augusta University’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPaR), along with the Augusta University Police Department, will participate in an active shooter response training exercise.

The drill will begin at 8 a.m. at Southside Elementary School at 3310 Old Louisville Road in Augusta on Thursday, May 18. AU’s JagAlert notifications will also be tested during this time.

Chief James Lyon, assistant vice president of AU Public Safety and Police, and Joe Webber, director of CEPaR, released a statement via email to students, staff and faculty.

The statement reads in part:

“Recognizing the need for an integrated whole community approach to preparedness, response and recovery, Augusta University has been engaged with multiple community partners to ensure that the university’s emergency responders and leaders are prepared for an emergency situation such as an active shooter or other hostile event.”

The statement also encourages departments to utilize the time as an opportunity to discuss and plan safety measures to have in place should an incident occur.

Kim Davies, dean of the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, teaches sociology classes about homicide. Davies said that the public should also be aware of terminology used in cases related to active shootings.

“It feels like it’s happening more, but actually I think right now we have seen a bit of rise in mass murder,” she said. “Overall, homicide is up a bit.”

Speaking specifically about mass shootings, Davies said, “We see far more in the United States than we do in other places.”

So far as what is contributing to the issue, guns and mental health have appear to be discussed in the nationwide conversation about shootings, specifically following the pandemic.

“We certainly have more access to guns,” she said. “We saw great increases in the number of gun sales during the pandemic. We think that might be one of the reasons for the rise, as well as mental health issues brought about by COVID,” she said.

Though putting an end to the crisis has become a complicated situation, Davies said that speaking up and saying something can be of help.

“If we would report and ty to get help for people who are having issues, maybe some of these things can be prevented,” she said. “If you have a family member, especially one you know who has access to guns, who seems to be having some mental health issues or there’s if somebody who said something like “I’m so angry, I could shoot everybody,” we need to get them help. It will help the people prevent those deaths, but it would also help that person.”

Davies said it’s important to be mindful of the information consumed concerning violent crime. She said that talking to friends or therapists about feelings surrounding mass shooting incidents.

“It’s important to reach out and talk to others,” she said.

She added, “There’s more going on in the world than just crime.”

Davies said that though it is unfortunate that mass shooting incidents have become a problem in the world, the public should be aware of what to do.

“Even though I don’t want to live my life in fear, I do know that I should run, hide, fight,” she said. "I hate that we have to live in a society to think about those things, but it’s good to always be aware.”

For more information about #strongaugusta, visit www.augusta.edu/cepar/strongaugusta.

Contact Rakiyah Lenon at rlenon@augusta.edu.