OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — In the month of December, two religious institutions fell under attack.
Five people were stabbed at a Hanukkah celebration in New York, and two men were shot and killed during a service in a Texas church.
Douglas County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Shawn Millikan says these threat are not going away, which is why he believes it's best to be prepared.
"Unfortunately it's something we have to live with now," Lt. Millikan said. "There is evidence these are increasing each year, the number of incidents or at least holding steady."
According to the FBI, there was 27 active shooter incidents that killed 85 people and wounded 128 in 2018.
this data focuses on one or more individuals actively engaged in killing people in a populated area.
The FBI says in five of the attacks, a citizen confronted the shooter.
"Bad things happen and the more prepared we are to think about the quicker we can respond," DCSO training participant Burke Street said.
On Saturday, December 4, roughly 40 people gathered at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to learn more on how to combat potential threats.
Millikan spent the afternoon teaching the "run, hide, fight method."
He says this gives victims options in the case of an active killer situation.
"You always have something you can do, nobody is helpless and education is the key," Lt. Millikan said. "You have to think about this stuff and make a plan for it before it happens."
Millikan says education is a starting point and should be incorporated not just in churches, but also schools, businesses and other organizations.
"We train for fire drills, we train for tornado drills," Lt. Millikan said. "Unfortunately, this is just kind of the same thing."
The Department of Homeland Security says people need to report suspicious activity to help prevent criminal activity, including domestic and international terrorism.
