San Marcos CA– Calls for help were made. Shots fired at San Marcos High School. One person is dead, seven others are wounded. Deputies from the San Marcos and Vista Sheriff Stations respond along with officers from other agencies. IT WAS ONLY A DRILL.
An active shooter drill was held Wednesday at San Marcos High School from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The scenario involved a student who came to school and just started shooting. The scenario was repeated three times during the day to allow more than 100 deputies and officers with various shifts to take part in the drill.
An active shooter by definition is someone who displays the ability and willingness to shoot people indiscriminately and without regard to his or her safety. It’s a scenario that no one wants to think about, but law enforcement is ready to respond in the event a real emergency occurs.
The goal of the exercise is to practice positions in clearing rooms, rescue the wounded and evacuate potential victims while communicating with emergency personnel.
School was out for the summer so classes were not affected during the drill. Nearby communities were notified about the training exercise through the Sheriff’s Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as Nixle (notification service via web, email or text message). Road signs were also posted around the school about the drill.
The San Marcos Fire Department, Palomar College Campus Police, Cal State San Marcos Police, Escondido Police, and Oceanside Police also took part in the drill.
School Resource Deputies and Juvenile Detectives are assigned to high schools within the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department. They visit schools in their areas to ensure lockdown and evacuation procedures are up to date. They also work with school administrators to review emergency plans and familiarize themselves with the layout of campuses.
We want to remind students that if they hear any threats of violence or even potential violence, they can always approach our deputies or call the anonymous Crime Stoppers Students Speaking Out Tip Line at (888) 580-8477 or the Sheriff’s Department at (858) 565-5200
OPD Joins SDSO in Active Shooter Drill
June 19, 2014