Protecting Office Workers Against Active Shooters

The July 28, 2025 Midtown Manhattan active shooter event highlights the risks to office workers from active shooters or other violent groups and individuals. These may include current or former employees, related parties, unrelated disaffected individuals (such as the perpetrator in this case) or protest groups. Around 14% of active shooter events are in non-public commercial areas.

In the Midtown shooting, there were five deaths and five injuries. Some other workplace violence incidents have been even worse. In addition to deaths and long-term physical injuries, survivors often suffer psychological trauma.

Active shooter events have increased significantly year on year, increasing the risks of an event occurring. How can building managers and security staff protect office workers? This article outlines some practical strategies to deal with workplace violence.

Incident details

The shooter entered the building at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan with a semi-automatic rifle and wearing body armor. According to FBI statistics, wearing body armor is uncommon but this would have increased the difficulty in stopping the shooter.

The perpetrator entered the building lobby and first killed a police officer who was deployed as a security guard and then shot a woman who was behind a pillar, then sprayed the lobby with bullets, hitting a man. He then shot another security guard at the elevators. He entered the elevator and travelled to the 33rd floor and fatally shot another person, then killed himself.

This incident had the following factors: ● The shooter started his rampage in the lobby after entering from the street with a visible rifle ● Two guards were deployed in the lobby but were shot ● The shooter moved through the building via unsecured elevators.

Active shooter facts

Active shooter and other workplace violence incidents have the following characteristics:

1. Short duration - FBI statistics showing that 69% of incidents end in 5 minutes or less. In 60% of cases, the incident ends before the police arrive.

2. Shooter is mobile - Active shooters move through the building, killing as they go.

3. Stopped by armed response - 56% of incidents ended on the shooter’s initiative, but in most other cases, the threat was ended by law enforcement or security guards exchanging gunfire with the shooter.

4. Surprise and confusion - Workplace violence is often characterized by lack of situational awareness, impairing decision making and responses. Typically, security teams and police don’t know exactly where the shooter is in the building or what they are doing, hampering their response.

Active shooter protection strategies

It is impossible to predict when an active shooting event will occur but building managers can be prepared by using a combination of: ● Security guards - guards should be armed ● Formally documented response procedures and training ● Physical security measures (surveillance cameras, face recognition-based access control, secured doors and elevators, duress buttons and physical barriers).

Here are some specific actions to help manage active shooter events in office buildings:

1. Develop and actively maintain a building incident plan - this outlines the procedures to be followed in the event of an active shooter or other incident, including points of contact.

2. Deploy armed guards in building lobbies - without armed guards, it is nearly impossible to stop active shooters until police arrive. Armed guards are the first line of defense since it is likely that police will be unable to respond quickly enough to prevent shootings.

3. Secure elevators - unsecured elevators allow the shooter to easily travel through the building. Elevators should be secured so that only authorized persons can travel to a floor. Some buildings have turnstiles to prevent unauthorized access to elevator areas.

4. Secure tenancies - a shooter should not be able to walk from an elevator directly into an office. Each tenancy should have separate secured doors to slow movement of the shooter.

5. Deploy face recognition - a shooter might steal an access card. Face recognition can’t be stolen or faked and can be used to positively identify a person before admitting them to a secure area.

6. Install surveillance cameras - in an active shooter event, situational awareness is key and this means having “eyes” on the shooter. AI powered solutions such as Scylla Gun Detection system can automatically identify a drawn weapon and alert the security team, giving crucial seconds of warning, focusing attention on the incident and providing vital information for responders.