Law enforcement simulate active shooter threat for preparation after deadly midtown Atlanta shooting

ATLANTA — Two weeks after an active shooter situation inside a medical building at Northside Hospital in midtown Atlanta, police are preparing for the tragic scenario that it happens again.

Officers from several agencies gathered in Oakland Cemetery on Thursday to simulate an active shooter threat.

Channel 2′s Tom Regan was at the cemetery where dozens of people were shot and first responders rushed to the scene as police worked to end the threat.

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“Our hospitals are notified, and then we sort out the triage process and our hospitals will tell us, ‘We can take three, we can take five, we can take critical, non-critical,’” EMS station chief Brian Garner.

“The goal with this setting, this scenario in any mass casualty incident is rapid response by law enforcement to save lives,” Paul Merritt with APD said.

Earlier this month, five women were shot at a medical facility.

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One of those women, Amy St. Pierre, died from her injuries. The other four, Lisa Glynn, Georgette Whitlow, Jazzmin Daniel and Alesha Hollinger, were hospitalized, but have all since been released.

“We look at every active shooter event we can to do the best we can if we do get called,” Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Chief Roderick Smith said.

Officials say regular active shooter response training builds confidence and hones skills of police, firefighters and EMS in the shared effort to save lives.

“If we are going to be called upon again, God forbid, to act in that capacity to stop an active shooter, these men and women are going to be ready,” APD Chief Darin Schierbaum said.

First responders conduct coordinated response training drills every three months in a variety of different environments.

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IN OTHER NEWS:

Deputy says man dug tunnel from one cell to another to stab inmate inside Fulton County Jail Only Channel 2 Action News got inside the facility Thursday to see the damage firsthand.

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