Everyone must think about attacks in public spaces, experts say
The three shots popped off in quick succession, sending dozens of Columbus Metropolitan Library patrons scrambling for an exit. Others who couldn’t see a safe way out huddled in bathrooms or offices.
Many made 911 calls in hushed voices.
“You can hear someone screaming. And bullets. You could just hear the shots,” said one woman. “Everybody just scattered. I had three children, so I took off.”
Nearly a hundred people were inside the library on Sunday when a gunman shot and wounded a man he was arguing with on the Downtown library’s second floor.
Another public place, another act of violence.
On Wednesday morning, dozens of shots were fired during a GOP congressional baseball practice at a park in Alexandria, Virginia. A congressman and a lobbyist were critically wounded. An aide and a Capitol Police officer also were shot. And two others received minor injuries. The shooter was killed.
Back in Columbus in March, a woman shot and wounded another inside the Victoria’s Secret PINK store at Easton Town Center.
In November, an Ohio State University student rammed his car into a crowd on campus, jumped out and slashed people with a butcher knife. There were 13 people injured and the attacker was killed by an OSU police officer.
And in February 2016, a man wielding a machete entered a Northeast Side restaurant and began slashing patrons. Four people were hurt and the man was killed by police.
Teaching safety
Since fall 2014, the Franklin County sheriff’s office and other agencies have taught Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events courses developed at Texas State University.
About 18,000 people have received the training at work, places of worship or in classes, such as the one scheduled for Saturday at the Columbus Police Academy and Regional Training Center.
“We know these events happen anywhere. We train anybody who wants to be trained,” said Deputy Darrah Metz, an instructor.
Much of the training focuses on teaching people to be more aware. Wherever they go, people should be mindful of others around them and where exits are located.
“We kind of get content going about our day. We don’t think about things like that until we have to,” she said. “Make those an option in our minds.”
Civilians are trained to run if they can get to safety. If that’s not an option, they should hide or barricade themselves. The last resort, if confronted, is to fight for your life.
The sheriff’s office also offers an advanced class that takes participants through scenarios and teaches first aid.
“That’s the hardest part about this stuff. You never know when, where or who,” Metz said. “You might know the person. Or you might be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Library safety
This week, a law-enforcement officer has been posted at the Main Library Downtown.
“We wanted to make a very visible statement that we take safety and security very seriously,” said Gregg Dodd, the library’s spokesman.
Library officials are discussing how to address security following the shooting.
“We’re talking about everything,” Dodd said. “We determined this was an isolated incident at the Main Library that unfortunately played out here instead of any other public place.”
It’s possible security officers could search bags or begin using metal detectors.
“The question is: When can a government agency like the library search members of the public in the absence of individualized suspicion? There is not a clearly defined legal standard,” said David Thomas, partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, a Columbus law firm.
“Instead, the law tries to balance an individual’s privacy interests with the need for public safety.”
On average, there are seven private security guards at the Main Library every day.
At that location and 22 other branches, there are an estimated 5 million visitors each year, Dodd said. Weapons are prohibited, but no one checks for them at the doors.
“If the individual intrusion is minimal, and there is a risk to public safety in not conducting the searches, then something like a metal detector is probably reasonable,” Thomas said.
Sgt. Sam Byrd, who oversees the civilian training at the Franklin County sheriff’s office, said he isn’t sure he would recommend extra measures at the library after last weekend’s shooting.
“I think visitors from other areas would see that: ‘That library must not be safe. They have metal detectors,’” he said. “I don’t think that’s the way I would go right now, personally.”
Dodd said incidents like the one last Sunday are rare — in fact, the shooting was the first in the library’s history.
“Libraries continue to be safe places,” he said. “Relatively speaking, we have very few incidents.”
Michelle Francis, director of government and legal services for the Ohio Library Council, said she’s unaware of libraries across the state conducting bag searches or routinely taking extra security measures.
“With 8.7 million library cardholders, we have the highest library use per capita in the nation,” she said. “Libraries strive to be a safe and welcoming environment to all.”
Byrd said that means patrons must be vigilant.
“The days are over when people don’t focus on safety on a daily basis,” he said.