SWAT Team Practices Emergency Drill with Sterlington High School
By: Meagan Fitzgerald
Updated: February 17, 2010
SWAT team members aggressively combed Sterlington High School looking for a make-believe gunman. While they searched the building, students and teachers locked themselves inside classrooms. The threat wasn't real, but both law enforcement and school officials responded like it was.
"After the SWAT team successfully cleared the high school of the gunman they got a call on their radio saying shots were fired in the field house."
Captain Jay Ellerman of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department said, "He came over here and fired some more shots and then barricaded in a locker room and then we responded."
Ellerman's team threw a box with a camera and phone into the locker room. The phone gives the negotiator a chance to communicate with the gunman and try to convince him to surrender.
While the negotiations were taking place, other SWAT members monitored what the gunman was doing inside. They're waiting for the right moment to move in and successfully take down the gunman.
Ellerman said, "This type of situation is becoming more and more common."
Ellerman's right. Just last week a biology professor at the University of Alabama opened fire on campus and killed 3 people. So, schools and law enforcement aren't taking any chances.
Ellerman said, "I think we're prepared as we can be."
"After the SWAT team successfully cleared the high school of the gunman they got a call on their radio saying shots were fired in the field house."
Captain Jay Ellerman of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department said, "He came over here and fired some more shots and then barricaded in a locker room and then we responded."
Ellerman's team threw a box with a camera and phone into the locker room. The phone gives the negotiator a chance to communicate with the gunman and try to convince him to surrender.
While the negotiations were taking place, other SWAT members monitored what the gunman was doing inside. They're waiting for the right moment to move in and successfully take down the gunman.
Ellerman said, "This type of situation is becoming more and more common."
Ellerman's right. Just last week a biology professor at the University of Alabama opened fire on campus and killed 3 people. So, schools and law enforcement aren't taking any chances.
Ellerman said, "I think we're prepared as we can be."
