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Chesterfield offers active shooter situation program for businesses

Posted at 7:43 PM, Jan 27, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-27 19:43:44-05

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - The deadly shooting at a Maryland mall on Saturday is still on the mind of many Central Virginians.

"It's getting bad, you're scared to go out sometimes," said Carolyn Cassada.

The incident is one that many never want to experience, but area malls like Short Pump Town Center and Regency in Henrico told CBS 6 they work closely with law enforcement to take proactive safety measures in case of extreme circumstances.

However, CBS 6 wanted to know if shoppers would know what to do if they were in a situation like the one in Maryland.

In an effort to educate those on what you should do, Chesterfield Police has an active shooter program for business and organizations in the county.

They use a video which discusses when it's best to run, hide or fight.

"You certainly don't want people to be paranoid or fearful," said Cpl. Michael Catron, with the Chesterfield Police Department.

Catron said the most important thing is knowing where your exits are to get out of a situation.

"If you don't feel it's safe to do so, try to find cover somewhere. Get out of sight," said Cpl. Catron.

Catron said fighting in an active shooter situation should always come as a last resort.

"We never encourage people to actively engage or confront a dangerous situation. That's just an absolute last resort when there's nowhere to run and there's nowhere to hide," said Catron.

Click on video for more information.