Following the turn of the century and the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, the United States began implementing “active shooter drills.” According to the New York State Education Department, an active shooter drill, or a “lockdown” drill, is defined as the “essential steps necessary to lockdown in an emergency (clear the hallway, lock/barricade doors, hide from view and remain silent until law enforcement gives the ‘all clear’).” As more tragic events unfolded, lockdown drills rapidly expanded. By 2016, approximately ninety-five percent of public schools reported drilling students on lockdown procedures, making these exercises a routine part of the American educational experience. While lockdown drills have long been conducted, some districts have shifted toward increasingly hyper-realistic active shooter simulations which involve artificial gunfire, victims, blood, and more intense sensory elements designed to replicate an authentic school shooting.

Read More