Active shooter events prompt new demand for gun training

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – The recent mass shootings across the country and around the world have people scrambling to find ways to protect themselves at home, at work, and at social events.

Only WINK News was there on Friday as Marco Island Police trained in a state-of-the-art mobile firing range. But, it’s not just law enforcement that’s now calling local company.

“Corporations are now responding to, what do we do when there’s an active shooter,” said Mobile Tactics General Manager, Phillip Ludos.

The most recent shooting took place this week in San Bernardino, California, where 14 people were killed and 21 were injured.

“Unfortunately, these events heighten it,” said Mobile Tactics President, Mike Christoff. “Just like the rush to run out and buy more ammo and things like that.”

Christoff says he’s getting calls from huge corporations to small mom and pop businesses, to churches. They’re all asking to use the range to train security teams or even employees who own firearms.

“Just having the tool isn’t enough, you have to know how that tool works,” said Christoff.

Christoff and Ludos are both former law enforcement officers. Ludos was a former police chief who says active shooter situations, like the one in California, aren’t just about responding with a firearm.

“It’s about first securing your personnel in a safe environment,” said Ludos. “Find places they can hide from the active shooter and secure and barricade. As a last resort, defend themselves if they
have to. ”

Ludos says not only should law enforcement officers, companies and security teams train frequently to shoot, so should anyone who owns a firearm.

“I think for the average person, if they go out less than quarterly and fire that gun, that’s a mistake on their part,” said Ludos.