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News & Reporting
(RNS) For the first time, the federal government has issued written guidelines for houses of worship that are confronted with a homicidal gunman.
Vice President Joe Biden released the new rules on yesterday (June 18), six months after the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 26 dead, including 20 children. As federal officials worked with education officials in crafting new school safety rules, they also consulted clergy, Biden told a White House auditorium filled with federal officials who have worked on the issue.
"The faith leaders not only want us to talk about making schools safer," Biden said. "They're worried that their congregations are at risk. So they wanted to know, what should they be thinking about when someone stands up in the middle of the congregation and decides to do something similar as we saw in the schools."
In response to their concerns, Biden said, "we gave concrete direction."
Beyond seeking shelter and waiting for police to arrive, as many Newtown victims did, the new rules also advise adults in congregations to fight back–as a last resort–in a bid to stop the shooter. The new federal doctrine is "run, hide, or fight."
The guidelines' basic run-hide-fight advice is similar to that given to schools faced with active shooters: Congregants should first try to flee the scene, taking people with them but not waiting for those who refuse to leave. If flight is not possible, hide; the guidelines describe some of the best hiding places. Fighting back is a last resort.
According to the new rules, gathered in a 38-page document called "Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship," fighting back is advised for "adults in immediate danger," who should:
"Consider trying to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter by using aggressive force and items in their environment, such as fire extinguishers or chairs. In ...
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