Lone Wolf Attacks: Discovery Channel Center

Lone Wolf Attacks: Discovery Channel Center

Yesterday's hostage taking at the Discovery Channel Center in Maryland should be a reminder to all responders and emergency management planners that workplace violence/targeted attacks continues to be a current and emerging threat.

At this time it does appear that the attacker who has been described as a militant environmentalist utilized at least one or more pistols and one or more Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)/Home Made Explosives (HME) during the incident.

Crisis situations such as criminal attacks, active shooters, attacks on law enforcement and threat situations are occurring with alarming frequency for a variety of reasons. Mass violence incidents can be quite sophisticated in the degree of planning and execution that goes into them. Many of these mass violence suspects have trained, prepared, armed themselves and have a detailed plan in place.

However, it is important to remember they can easily be carried out by an individual or individuals with minimal planning, few resources and limited training. They will most often utilize readily-available weapons such as pistols, shotguns, rifles, knives or homemade explosives (HME).

Please look back through this Incident Management: Mass Violence Blog for materials related to active shooters, workplace violence, bomb threats, targeted violence, etc. Thanks again and be safe!