Active Shooter

Call 9-911 from an on-campus phone or 911 from a cell phone to report an emergency that requires immediate assistance from police and rescue personnel.

If an Active Shooter is outside your building

  • Proceed to a room that can be locked.
  • Close and lock all windows and doors.
  • Turn off the lights.
  • Hide if possible, get on the floor away form doors and windows. Make sure no one is visible from outside the room.
  • One person in the room should call 911.
  • Report incident to the Office of Public Safety at 401.865.2222.
  • Remain in place until police or a campus administrator gives the “all clear.”
  • Once in a safe location, try to obtain any information that could assist the police, such as subject’s or suspects’ description, weapons, current location, and/or actions.

If the Active Shooter enters your building

  • Lock the room you are in if you can.
  • If the room can not be locked, try to safely get to a nearby location that can be secured.
  • Exit the building if it is safe to do so.

If the Active Shooter enters the room you are in

  • Remain calm.
  • If possible, alert the Office of Public Safety or police.
  • Run, Hide, Fight:
    • Run – escape.
    • Hide and shelter in place.
    • Negotiate with the shooter.
    • Fight – overpower the shooter.
    • If the shooter leaves the area, proceed to a safer location.

Under all circumstances

  • If you decide to flee during an active shooter situation, make sure you have an escape route and plan.
  • Do not carry anything while fleeing; move quickly, keep your hands visible, and follow the instructions of any police officers you may encounter.
  • Do not attempt to remove injured people; instead leave wounded victims where they are and notify authorities of their location as soon as possible.
  • Do not try to drive off campus until advised it is safe to do so by police or campus administrators.