39 behavioral indicators for an active shooter, inside threat

  • Published
  • By 23rd Security Forces Squadron
  • Unit Training Manager
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The 23rd Security Forces Squadron is scheduled to conduct active shooter training June 24 at the fitness center, closing the facility for the day. Moody personnel should be reminded to not call local authorities or 911 as it is only an exercise.

As part of ongoing training for active shooter awareness, the 23rd SFS would also like base personnel to be aware of the follwing 39 behavioral indicators.

These are the possible actions and behaviors of someone who may become an active shooter or inside threat.

1) Talk knowingly about a future terrorist event, as though the person has inside information about what is going to happen.

2) Statement of intent to commit or threat to commit a terrorist act, whether serious or as a supposed joke, regardless of whether or not you think the person intends to carry out the action.

3) Deliberate probing of security responses, such as deliberately causing a false alarm, faked accidental entry to an unauthorized area or other suspicious activity designed to test security responses without prior authorization.

4) Statements of support for suicide bombers who have attacked the United States or U.S. personnel or interests abroad.

5) Expressing sympathy for violence promoting organizations.

6) Advocating violence, the threat of violence, or use of force to achieve goals that are political, religious or ideological in nature.

7) Advocating support for international terrorist organizations or objectives.

8) A threat to Department of Defense personnel or threatened damage to or compromise of a DoD facility or infrastructure.

9) Knowing membership in, or attempt to conceal membership in, any group which: advocates the use of force or violence to cause political change within the U.S., has been identified as a front group for foreign interests or advocates loyalty to a foreign interest over loyalty to the U.S.

10) Statements disparaging the United States in favor of an alternative system. For example, these systems could Islamic law, white supremacy, Christian Identity, anarchy or Communism.

11) Statements that the U.S. government is trying to destroy or suppress people of a particular race, religion, or ethnicity. For example, these could be statements that the U.S. government is engaging in a crusade against a faith or destroying the purity of a culture or race.

12) Distribution of extremist publications or posting information on the Internet, including email and online discussions, which supports or encourages violence or other illegal activity. Also, this could be frequent viewing of websites that promote extremist or violent activity, unless this is part of one's job or academic study.
13) Advocating or participating in violence against any individual based on their race, creed, color, sexual orientation, religion or national origin.

14) Statements of support for violence against U.S. military forces either at home or deployed abroad.

15) For U.S. military personnel only: Any action that advises, counsels, urges, or in any manner causes or attempts to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty by any member of the armed forces of the United States.

16) Expressing outrage against U.S. military operations.

17) Seeking spiritual sanctioning for unlawful violence.

18) Providing financial or other material support to a terrorist organization or to someone suspected of being a terrorist.

19) Family ties to known or suspected international terrorist or terrorist supporters.

20) Statements about having a bomb or biological or chemical weapon, about having or getting the materials to make such a device, or about learning how to make or use any such device-- when unrelated to the person's job duties.

21) Suspicious overflight of or landing near a DoD facility or infrastructure by any type of unauthorized flying vehicle (e.g., airplane, helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle, hang glider).

22) Suspicious questioning of personnel by any means about particular DoD structures, functions, personnel, or procedures at the facility or infrastructure.

23) Monitoring the activity of DoD personnel, facilities, processes, or systems, including showing unusual interest in a facility, infrastructure, or personnel under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to perceive a threat to DoD personnel, facilities, or forces. This could include observation through binoculars, taking notes, drawing maps or diagrams of a facility, and taking pictures or video of a facility, infrastructure, personnel, or the surrounding environment.

24) Collection of unclassified information that might be useful to someone planning a terrorist attack, such as pipeline locations, airport control procedures, building plans, etc., when unrelated to the person's job.

25) Inappropriate, unusual or excessive interest in classified information outside current assignment or without the "need to know."

26) Mishandling of classified information to include revelations to unauthorized personnel, leaks to media, unauthorized contact with media, unauthorized removals, collecting or storing outside of approved facilities or lax security protocols.

27) Misuse of computers or technology to include accessing databases without authorization, unauthorized searching or browsing through computer libraries, or unauthorized destruction of information or agency computer files (e.g. deleting data).

28) Unexplained or excessive copying of files, particularly blueprints of buildings or systems such as security and fire suppression.

29) Unjustified attempts to obtain or conduct specialized training in security concepts, military weapons or tactics, or other unusual capabilities such as specialized transport or handling capabilities.

30) Acquisition of unusual quantities of precursor material (such as cell phones, pagers, fuel and timers), unauthorized or unlicensed individual or group attempts to obtain precursor chemicals, agents, or toxic materials, or rental of storage units for the purpose of storing precursor material, chemicals or apparatuses for mixing chemicals.

31) Recruiting or building operations teams and contacts, personnel data, banking data, or travel data under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to perceive a threat to DoD personnel, facilities or forces in transit.

32) Theft or loss associated with a DoD facility or infrastructure, including badges, uniforms, ballistic armor, other protective gear, identification cards, emergency vehicles, technology or
documents (classified or unclassified) that are proprietary to the facility. This could also be a diversion of attention from a DoD facility or infrastructure that is related to a theft or loss associated with that facility.

33) Handling, storing or tracking hazardous materials in a manner that puts these materials at risk.

34) Misusing or presenting false insignia, documents, or identification or engaging in any other activity to misrepresent one's affiliation.

35) Damaging, manipulating, or defacing part of a DoD facility, infrastructure or protected site. Acts of vandalism committed by DoD civilian employees, military members or their dependents should not be reported as suspicious activity unless those acts relate to a pattern of criminal activity or otherwise would cause a reasonable person to perceive a threat to DoD personnel, facilities or forces in transit.

36) Ominous, specific threats.

37) Association with any of the following criminal precursors to terrorist activities: front businesses and charities, counterfeit money, counterfeit goods, narcotics, smuggling and import/export violations, robbery or theft, fraud including credit card, benefits, food stamps), phone scams, bribery, immigration and identity crimes, or incitement to commit terrorist acts.

38) Unreported contact with foreign intelligence services, governments, organizations or unreported contact with unauthorized foreign personnel seeking classified information.

39) Unreported personal foreign travel.