Lockdown

Welcome to DU’s Lockdown page. Most likely, you are here because you received an alert from the University, indicating that the campus is in Lockdown, due to an active threat. This page is intended to provide additional information beyond the original message received. 

Remain calm and remember “Run, Hide, Fight” depending on what you see and hear. If you feel it is safe, evacuate. If it is not safe, secure your current location.  

 

Updates:

The University will continue to monitor conditions. Further updates will be provided here as they become available

  • Run

    • Exit the building quickly and quietly, being cautious as you go. If at any point you feel it is unsafe to continue evacuating, Lockdown in the nearest location. 

    • Notify anyone you may encounter that they should exit the building immediately but do not let anyone's indecision slow you down. 

    • Leave all belongings behind and keep your hands where responding officers can see them. 

    • Do not attempt to remove injured people. 

    • Once safe, call 911 and answer the dispatcher's questions. Follow the instructions of any responding officer or Campus Safety officer. 

  • Hide

    • Get to a room or office, lock the door, and close windows. If the door does not lock, try to use furniture to block the door or wedge items under the door. If in a restroom, stand on the toilet, lock the stall, and remain quiet. 

    • To the greatest extent possible, hide and turn off lights. Hiding behind thick materials such as masonry or lying flat on the floor out of sight is best.  

    • Silence cell phones and keep quiet. 

    • Do not respond to any noises – campus safety and police will know how to open locked doors. Do not open the door. 

    • If you are able, call 911 to provide additional information. If you are unable to speak, leave the line open anyway. 

  • Fight

    • Try to escape. 

    • If escape is impossible, you must take action to survive! 

      • Items you can use to overpower the attacker: 

        • Furniture – throw it at them and yell. 

        • Use a fire extinguisher aimed directly at the shooter. 

        • The end of a flagpole and other sharp objects can be useful. 

        • Throw heavy or sharp objects such as staplers or paper weights. 

      • The more people involved in overpowering the attacker, the more likely the success. 

Response Phases

During a Lockdown incident, there are multiple response phases and many things you can do to help. 

  • Phase One — Lockdown Initiated

  • Phase Two — Police Response

  • Phase Three — Incident Response Team Mobilizes

  • Phase Four — The All Clear

Phase One

Phase One — Lockdown Initiated: 

During this phase, a lockdown is called on campus by Campus Safety. An alert will be issued to the campus community to take immediate action for self-protection. If you are reviewing this page outside of an active incident and would like to learn more about signing up for these notifications, please see the notification section below. 

Phase One — What to Expect & Do: 

If you are on campus, you can expect to be notified of the incident through or mass notification system. You should immediately engage in Run, Hide, Fight (see sections above for instructions). You can expect updates on this website and through our mass notification system approximately 5-10 minutes following the initial onset of the lockdown. Campus Safety will respond immediately, and police are on the way. 

Phase One — How the Off-Campus Community Can Help: 

If you are off-campus, please remain off campus and move farther away from campus if possible. It is extremely critical that those individuals who are off campus remain off-campus. Do not come to campus to try to help or find a friend or family member. The conditions on campus are dangerous and emergency responders need to be able to easily access the campus and quickly identify those who intend to harm. 

Phase Two

Phase Two — Police Response: 

Police officers responding to an active shooter situation proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard. Their purpose is to stop the shooting as quickly as possible. The first officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured people; rescue teams composed of other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow once areas have been secured. 

Phase Two — What to Expect & Do:  

Understand that the police will be treating all those they encounter as possible suspects. When you encounter the police: 

  • Remain calm. 

  • Do as the officers tell you. 

  • Put down bags or packages you may be carrying. 

  • Always keep your hands up and visible. 

  • If you know where the hostile intruder/active shooter is, tell the officers. 

  • Once out of harm's way, remain at whatever assembly point authorities designate. 

  • Do not leave until you have been interviewed and released. 

Phase Two — How the Off-Campus Community Can Help: 

Once again, if you are off-campus, please remain off campus and move farther away from campus if possible. It is extremely critical that those individuals who are off campus remain off-campus. Do not come to campus to try to help or find a friend or family member. The conditions on campus are dangerous and emergency responders need to be able to easily access the campus and quickly identify those who intend to harm.  

Phase Three

Phase Three — Incident Response Team Mobilizes: 

Within minutes, the University’s Incident Response Team will mobilize and begin responding to the crisis event. This team is comprised of faculty and staff such as trained counselors, communicators, and decision-makers who will support students and employees throughout the crisis. The team will quickly determine what additional information can and should be shared, releasing that information in a timely and appropriate manner.  

Phase Three — What to Expect & Do: 

During this phase, police and other responding officials will be quickly taking control of the active incident and the Incident Response Team will be working to release information and resources. You should expect: 

  • To remain where you are if you are locked down. Even if there is an assumption that the active incident is over, it is best to remain in a safe position until notified by official communication (such as a posting to the University’s website) that it is safe to exit your location. 

  • Frequent information updates on this website and through the University’s crisis communications network. Please keep in mind that updates may be brief and may not contain many details. Our Incident Response Team will work with police to determine what is safe to share and what information will be helpful to individuals. It is critical to ensure the communication from the University not interfere with ongoing police work. 

  • Medical and emotional support will be provided to the greatest extent possible. Individuals requiring medical attention should call 911, providing as many details as possible. If you are with someone requiring medical attention, call 911, provide details, and do your best to provide care to the person in need without compromising your own safety. Remember that clothing can be tied tightly around wounds to slow or stop bleeding and do not try to move around campus unless you are certain it is safe to do so. 
     

Phase Three — How the Off-Campus Community Can Help: 

If you are off-campus, please remain off-campus. If you are a trained mental health professional who previously indicated to the University your willingness and availability to support students and employees in a traumatic event, you will likely soon receive potential placement instructions from your University Incident Response Team representative. Please do not contact them – they will contact you as they have placement information to share. 

Phase Four

Phase Four — The All Clear: 

When police determine it is safe to do so, an “All Clear” announcement will be made. This announcement will be placed on this website, on the University’s social media accounts, and through all available University communication systems. Immediately following the “All Clear” message, the University will begin implementation of the reunification process, a process that will account for every student and employee within the University.  

Please note: The “All Clear” notification may take a significant amount of time – possibly hours, due to the time it will take for police to conduct a thorough sweep, determining that it is safe for restricted movement around campus. It is likely that the “All Clear” message will not be issued until each building is methodically evacuated by police. The University is a large campus and will take time for police and other emergency response teams to sweep and clear, ensuring it is safe for campus occupants to move around campus once again. 

Phase Four — What to Expect & Do: 

After you receive the “All Clear” you may leave the campus, or you may choose to move to a campus location providing social/emotional support or other resources. Information regarding these resources and locations will be provided to students and employees as quickly as possible. 

Reunification: Information regarding reunification steps will be provided soon. 

Phase Three — How the Off-Campus Community Can Help: 

Though the “All Clear” notification has been issued, we still need those currently off-campus to remain off-campus. If the University needs support in any way, requests for help will be posted to this website and the University’s social media accounts. It is possible the University will seek donations of time, talent, and resources, but may not know specifically what is needed for quite some time. Please check back often if you have a desire to help support the students and employees of

What You Can Do to Prepare

There are a variety of steps you can take now to prepare for a Lockdown situation:  

  • Make sure you haven’t opted out of emergency text messages. See https://www.du.edu/campussafety/ and click the sign-up button on the right side of the page.  

  • Make sure you are following the University and Campus Safety’s official Twitter and Facebook pages.  

  • If you commute, familiarize yourself with bus routes and other alternative transportation. Following a lockdown, it is possible access to parked vehicles will not be permitted immediately.  

  • If you are frequently on campus, familiarize yourself with exits, alternate routes, and items that could be used nearby to fight against an attacker.  

  • If you are a member of the faculty, give guidance to your students. How will you and your students respond in a lockdown? How might students be able to prepare, given your unique classroom environment?  

  • If you are responsible for a university service, how will you be involved in the campus response? What training do you need? Do you have a backup who knows everything you know about your role in a lockdown?  

  • If you are responsible for a university event, how will you handle evacuation/lockdown, emergency cancelations, refunds and rescheduling?