Attack in a public place
Run, Hide, Fight, step by step, from Ready.gov, with what to do when police arrive and how to stop heavy bleeding.
What to do in a shooting or attack in a public place
01/10
Run, if you can get away safely.
Getting away comes first. Leave your belongings behind. Warn others, if it's safe to. Keep your hands empty and where people can see them.
Official sources
- Mass Gathering Incidents · Ready.gov (FEMA) · Last checked 2026-11-09
- Be Prepared for an Active Shooter · FEMA · Last checked 2026-11-09
- Active Shooter: How to Respond · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Last checked 2026-11-09
- Stop the Bleed: Applying a Tourniquet · U.S. Department of Homeland Security · Last checked 2026-11-09
- Contact Us · FBI · Last checked 2026-11-10
- Active Shooter Safety Resources · FBI · Last checked 2026-11-10
- Virtual Family Assistance Centers · FBI · Last checked 2026-11-10
- Help for Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence · Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice · Last checked 2026-11-09
- U.S. Citizens Victimized Abroad · Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice · Last checked 2026-11-09
- See travel advisories and register in STEP · USAGov · Last checked 2026-11-09
- 112 - the EU's emergency phone number · European Commission · Last checked 2026-11-09