From just one active shooter incident in 2000, the number of mass shootings has exploded in recent years. According to the FBI, from 2000 to 2006 there was an annual average of 6.4 incidents, but from 2007 to 2013, the average rose to 16.4 cases. And it has continued to rise, with 40 cases in 2014-2015 and 50 cases in 2016-2017. This must stop. At ZeroEyes, we are committed to doing our part to prevent this increase in shooting events with advanced, state-of-the-art gun detection. Our objective? Stop them before they start shooting.
An active shooter incident is defined as an individual actively killing or attempting to kill in populated areas, excluding gang and drug violence. The federally-agreed-upon definition of active shooting “inherently implies that both law enforcement personnel and citizens have the potential to affect the outcome of the event based upon their responses,” the FBI study claims. However, that is not what we are seeing in the statistics.
Between 2000 and 2013, 160 active shooting incidents took place in the U.S.: 45.6% in commercial settings (businesses and malls), 24.4% in K-12 schools and universities, 10% in governmental settings, 9.4% in open spaces, and the remaining in healthcare facilities, houses of worship, and homes.
Most of these locations, with the exception of open spaces and homes, should have well-defined security systems that include security cameras, methods to target-harden the location to make it unattractive to attackers, and an advanced gun detection system like ZeroEyes.
ZeroEyes uses state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology to immediately detect visible guns and send real-time alerts instantly to security personnel and administrators so they can take immediate action to prevent an attack. What’s more, we use a self-learning algorithm to constantly enhance our technology based on the most up-to-date information available about active shooters and firearms. This ongoing machine learning is directed by our staff, highly-trained former American military personnel who understand not only weaponry but the critical importance of supplying real-time information to security forces so they can complete their mission to defend and protect.
Statistics indicate that 60% of active shootings end before police arrive on the scene. The ZeroEyes built-in alert system connected to local 911 and other first responders works to get security on the spot before the shooting begins or as quickly as possible, to neutralize the threat before many people are hurt.
Organizations have their own part to play in decreasing the attacks and casualties, as the FBI report implies, through training and prevention. The FBI study showed that most shooters demonstrate concerning signs in the weeks and months before the incident, and they also take time to plot and prepare. Proper training in looking for warning signs, along with training on how to respond safely when an incident takes place, can help decrease the risk of a mass shooter incident at your location.
By combining these steps with a robust security system equipped with ZeroEyes gun detection, your chance of experiencing a mass shooting at your location is dramatically reduced. Together, we can reverse the steady incline of active shooting events in the United States.
