CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — School shootings have been on the rise across the United States, causing concern for many school administrators.
According to the Washington Post,there were more school shootings in 2022 than any year since at least 1999.
The Beeville Independent School Districtsaid are doing everything they can to keep students safe this school year.
Art Gamez is the chief of the Beeville Independent School District Police Department. He said that the training is being used to help his officer be more prepared.
“Today’s scenario was actually enhanced and elevated a little bit to where we actually had two shooters,” Gamez said.
The training drills themselves simulated the intense and unpredictable nature of an active shooter situation within a school. Participants are put to the test, honing their skills in real-time scenarios that demand quick thinking.
“So one of the biggest things that we are doing with this exercise is how do we better ourselves,” he said. “That’s what trying is for. It’s supposed to show you where you can get better, enhance your abilities as an individual or as a collective unit.”
In this year’s training session, the presence of several agencies was felt from as far away as Brooks County. Officers involved in the Uvalde school shooting came to share their expertise during the critical incident in Uvalde.
Rebecca Gonzales, a participant in the training, said that the training is crucial in the successful response of officers.
“You are training the police officers, so if you are not acting right or I’m shot, I need you to help me,” Gonzales said. “You’re pulling, your tugging, you’re not trying them correctly and that could possibly cost another child’s life in a real-life scenario.”
Chief Gamez said that he wants all first responders to know that they need to take action in emergency situations.
“I don’t like to for the first time for us to see something on the game field, on the playing field,” he said. “I want people to push themselves individually, to build on the capacity that they have within themselves to understand that in the event, every single person plays a role.”
School officials told KRIS 6 News that training will continue throughout the year for teachers and first responders.
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