Be Aware: Expert Shares Tips For Outdoor Active Shooter Situations

Between the adrenaline and the chaos, you can never truly prepare for an active shooter situation. However, safety experts say there are things that can make the difference between life and death.

As more details continue to emerge out of the deadly Choctaw shooting Friday night, so do stories of what people did in the moments after those shots were fired. 

Related: The Timeline For Deadly Choctaw Football Game Shooting

"I just knew I had to run and keep moving,” said Kieson Iwerson, a Choctaw Freshman. “I knew if it kept moving, I would be fine."  

"We heard gunshots, and everybody started running," said Allison Yarbrough, a Choctaw parent. 

"People [were] grabbing children and hiding them behind ambulances," said Kieson’s mother, Lynse.  

"Panic really set in, everyone started going," said Jared Johnson, a member of the Choctaw band.  

"They were just coming from all over. Everyone was flooding the field," said Kieson.  

We’ve heard stories of people who ran, people who hid, and people who were frozen in fear.  

Lieutenant Brian Webster, an active shooter training expert, says there’s no way to be fully ready for something like this, but there are things you can do to be as prepared as you can. 

"Be aware of what's going on around you,” said Lt. Webster. "When you come into an open-air venue like that, be aware of the exits and places you can move to. Simply because you come in one entrance doesn't mean that will necessarily be the best exit." 

He had additional tips for what to do in the event of shots fired. 

"If you hear something like that and you deem it sounds like shots firing, then move to a ballistically safe area,” he said. "Wall, brick, anything like that. And continue to try to move to the exit if you can. I don't want you to just blindly run. I want you to keep your head up, your chin up. Your head on a swivel. Be aware." 

The biggest tip: always be aware of your surroundings because it may save your life.