In the wake of the hostage situation in a Wisconsin high school, INSIDE EDITION talks to a security expert on what students can do such a terrifying ordeal.
Barricading a door! Subduing a gunman in a classroom! Drills like these are taking place around the nation, but at one high school in Marinette, Wisconsin, it was all too real.
It happened when a 15-year-old boy pulled two handguns and held his teacher and 23 classmates hostage for 5 hours.
Zack Campbell was one of the hostages. Campbell said, "We just talked to him about what movies he likes, hobbies, music, a bunch of stuff. Just tried to keep it going, keep it friendly."
And thats exactly the reaction experts recommend. Security expert Steve Kardian says, "The worst thing you could do is show fear. Because the predator is going to feed off that fear."
But what if the gunman starts firing?
Kardian says, "If you believe it is his intent to assassinate you at that moment, you're going to have to close the distance. Try to neutralize that weapon. Yell, scream, jam him up. You ruin his plans. You take away his timing and you could be very successful in reducing the damage he can cause."
But our expert says that technique should only be used as a last resort, saying, "If you have the means to escape, do so. Don't try and be a hero. Don't run towards the carnage, run away from it."
The Wisconsin school siege ended when the teenage gunman turned the gun on himself. The hostages all got out unharmed. Today the gunman died of his wounds.
