ROUND ROCK, Texas -- As the number of deadly mass shootings continues to rise across the country, there is a new type of active shooter training coming to Central Texas designed to teach civilians how to intervene and stay alive during the "Zero Hour" -- the time between when an armed gunman is spotted and the point at which law enforcement officers arrive to help.
Denver-based TAC*ONE Consulting is partnering with Safe Range in Round Rock, to offer its law enforcement-grade active shooter response course to citizens eager to develop an effective plan to defend themselves, and those around them, during the critical first moments of a deadly attack.
-- The Course --
The 20-hour training costs $700 per student -- including all required ammo -- and will be held over two days, July 22-23, at Safe Range's Round Rock center, located at 1601 S. Interstate 35.
Space in the course is limited to 24 students, and those interested in attending will have to prove their proficiency with firearms by providing training certificates and/or an explanation of life experiences and produce evidence of a current Texas LTC permit.
The training is based on TAC*ONE's nationally recognized "Lone Wolf" active shooter response course for law enforcement officials and is conducted by active shooter subject matter experts within the law enforcement SWAT and military special operations communities.
The immersion hybrid course will use "reality-based" scenarios and real equipment, including Simunition non-lethal paint rounds and Ti simulators, which are used by law enforcement and military personnel to conduct their own advanced training.
TAC*ONE officials said both handguns and rifles will be used during the training.
Major Areas of Emphasis During the Course:
- The Active Shooter
- Deadly Force by a Private Citizen
- Single Person Response
- Weapons Handling / Manipulation
- Principles of Close Quarters Battle
- Marksmanship
- Target Identification
- Communicating (with others and responding law enforcement)
- Tactical Trauma Care (gunshot and blast wounds)
- Post Incident Considerations
TAC*ONE founder and president, Joe Deedon, said the course will challenge participants mentally and physically, because he believes it's imperative that citizens act quickly when implementing their response to an armed gunman.
He said in most cases once an active shooter is acknowledged and/or confronted he/she either gives up or takes their life.
"We never think it will happen because we are civilized people. Then it does," he said. "The death tolls in these incidents are also rising and they are much quicker."
Deedon said the goal of the course to prepare people to responsibly and effectively save lives prior to the arrival of law enforcement.
He said the lesson is to, "Stay calm. Know your limitations. Determine what you are comfortable and capable of doing. Then make the situation better."
-- Course Taught by Ex-SWAT, Military & Based on Real-World Tactics --
TAC*ONE says it has held hundreds of cutting-edge training courses for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S., as well as civilian defense training for school staff and concealed carry classes for individual citizens.
The company was founded by Deedon in 2007, and also regularly holds advanced tactical weapons training for both police and civilians.
During his eight years with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department in Colorado, Deedon was at the scene of two school shootings, the 2006 shooting at Platte Canyon High School and the 2010 shooting at Deer Creek Middle School.
Deedon served as both a patrol deputy and a tactical operator with Jefferson County Sheriff's SWAT team, and said he developed this, and many of his other programs, in the wake of those horrific events, and derived tactics created after the Columbine High School attack -- the "ground zero" for active shooter response.
Joe Deedon
"The majority of school or public shootings last five minutes or less, with casualties resulting before the arrival of first responders," said Deedon. "What we are trying to do is bridge that gap and help them differentiate an active shooter situation from another critical incident and have a basic understanding of the behavior of the shooter and how to deal with him effectively."
Deedon said in many of the recent mass shooting incidents, the suspects were militarized and carried multiple guns -- usually a combination of handguns and rifles -- homemade bombs and were laden with body armor.
TAC*ONE stresses that the gunmen in recent shootings all shared a similar mindset:
- Committed to killing
- In a race against time until law enforcement officers arrive
- Made no attempt to escape
- Had game plans
- Expected minimal or no resistance
- Saw their act as a precursor to suicide
Deedon points out that a little knowledge and empowerment can save lives in an active shooter situation.
"We live in different times and face a very real threat ... empower yourself with the knowledge needed to have viable options when seconds count," he said.
For more information on the training visit TAC*ONE's website.
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