The Texas Active Shooter Alert program, created by Texas legislation in the year 2021, is designed to alert individuals in close proximity of active shooter situations through their cellular devices, local broadcast media, Texas Department of Transportation Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) and other resources. The goal of this program is to save lives and prevent mass violence by notifying the public of nearby active shooter situations and encouraging them to avoid the area or to shelter-in-place.
An active shooter is defined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area
The below represents Active Shooter Alert criteria to activate the state’s network:
- An active shooter is in the requesting agency’s jurisdiction
- Determination that an Active Shooter Alert would assist individuals near the active shooter’s location
- Verification exists of the active shooter situation through a preliminary investigation by the requesting agency
- The active shooter’s last known location is identifiable
Active Shooter Alert – Law Enforcement Resources