QU adds mandatory active shooter training after Michigan State tragedy

By CAT MURPHY Associate News Editor

Quinnipiac University students must complete mandatory active shooter training this semester amid renewed concerns about gun violence on college campuses, per a Feb. 16 email from Tony Reyes, chief of Public Safety.

University officials moved to mandate active shooter training for students following the on-campus shooting at Michigan State University that killed three students and critically injured five others on Feb. 13.

“As we have seen in the news, and just this week at Michigan State University, active shooter events are on the rise nationally,” Reyes wrote. “With this in mind, we are taking important steps to enhance preparedness by providing valuable training and resources to our community.”

Reyes noted in a statement to the Chronicle on Feb. 20 that the university has provided new students, faculty and staff with “Run, Hide, Fight” training for several years. The training teaches students to run if an active shooter is in their vicinity, hide if evacuation is not feasible and fight only as a last resort.

“The recent increase in active shooter incidents around the country prompted us to create a more individualized training module for our community,” Reyes wrote. “We made it mandatory because our community’s safety is a priority and we wanted to make sure everyone made it a priority as well.”

Students will have 60 days to complete the 15-minute active shooter training course once it is made available. The online train-

PEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE