Stop the Killing offers insight into what each of us can do to end the active shooter crisis plaguing America. Written by the former head of the FBI’s active shooter program, Katherine Schweit, shares an insider look at what we’ve learned, and failed to learn, about protecting our businesses, houses of worship, and schools. The book demystifies the language around active shooters, mass killings, threat assessment teams, and more. Never gathered before into one place, readers gain access to evidence-based research and the most up-to-date information as they travel step-by-step through shooting prevention efforts and shooting aftermaths. Beginning with an understanding of how to spot potential shooters, readers learn the many ways to prevent shootings and the role threat assessment teams play. Threat assessment experts provide insight on what kind of information they need, and how they use it to intercept a person on a pathway to violence. The book guides readers through the process of assessing building security weaknesses and shows how to find vulnerabilities in people, programs, and policies. Packed with practical advice for training every age, from preschoolers, to elementary school children, to adults, the book also includes the author’s own teaching outline on how to train people to run, hide, fight. The book gathers together examples to help build individualized emergency operations plans and shows how to tap vast government resources to cover costs to your office and employees, districts and students, and survivors and victim’s families. Hear sober advice gathered from those who have survived and responded to shootings at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Aurora theater, Los Angeles International Airport, and more. Their common theme is that it can happen anywhere and has. All the more reason to accept that as each of us better understand what happens and how to prevent it, we can be the ones to stop the killing.

The book also features a new preface exploring the 2021 school shooting tragedy in Michigan, especially the groundbreaking use of a domestic terrorism charge filed against the shooter and involuntary manslaughter charges filed against his parents.

Katherine Schweit is an attorney and retired Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent who spent nearly five years as the executive responsible the FBIs active shooter efforts.

Chapter 1 – A ‘How-to’ Manual

Chapter 2 – Active Shooters on the Rise

Chapter 3 – Who and Why

Chapter 4 – Grievance Collectors and Understanding Violence

Chapter 5 – Reporting, Assessing, and Managing Threats

Chapter 6 – A Peek inside Threat Assessment Teams

Chapter 7 – School Building Challenges

Chapter 8 – Workplace and House of Worship Specifics

Chapter 9 – The Three Essential Emergency Training Basics

Chapter 10 – Training Children and Adults in Run.Hide.Fight®

Chapter 11 – Guns

Chapter 12 – Helping Survivors and the Families of Victims

Chapter 13 – What’s Happening

Chapter 14 – Don’t Go it Alone

[The] book is an easy-to-read account of why mass shootings occur, who perpetrates them and how everyday civilians can play a crucial role in preventing them.
— Daily Herald

Katherine Schweit’s book will be required reading for my entire department and should be required for every agency dedicated to stopping the threat of violence. If you are committed to a safe school, safe community environment, you will use this book as your template to protect our most precious resource; our students.
— John McDonald, executive director, Department of School Safety, Jeffco Public Schools

Stop the Killing has taken all weve learned about active shooter attacks and those who plan and commit these horrible crimes and put it into one book. Like a terrorist attack, its not sufficient to investigate and prosecute those responsible. Katherine Schweit recognizes we have to use what weve learned to educate ourselves about how to prevent active shooter attacks, while at the same time continue to improve civilian awareness, police response, and how communities can begin to find a new normal after such a devastating incident.
— Steve Bennett, unit chief (retired), FBI, Active Shooter Training and Response Program

An incredible book written by an extraordinary human being. Stop the Killing: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis is a great training manual for all situations. Katherine Schweit stresses the importance of being proactive as opposed to reactive. If you would have asked me prior to April 20th, 1999, could a mass shooting occur at Columbine High School, my response would have been not in our community. I made the statement after the horrific event; that I just joined a club in which you do not want to be a member. I wish that I had this wonderful book prior to The Columbine tragedy. Katherine was able to capture and articulate the many lessons learned by each cataphoric event. Katherine’s personal journey and knowledge is invaluable. Her journey has allowed her to visit sites where shooting events have occurred and the conversations she has had with survivors are shared in the book and are powerful lessons. Her working relationships with top professionals throughout her amazing career make the book a valuable resource for all walks of lives. It discusses steps that can be done in helping prevent events from materializing and the research-based programs that are effective once a threat does occur, and what to do once the event is transpiring. The book is a valuable resource in the recovery process. Stop the Killing: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis is a must read for all members within our society; the knowledge gained by reading Katherine Schweit book will prepare everyone to make our world a safer place.
— Frank DeAngelis, Columbine High School Principal 1996-2014, Author, They Call Mr. De: The Story of Columbine’s Heart, Resilience, and Recovery

As a former FBI Special Agent who specialized in mass shootings, Katherine Schweit has given us a remarkable and compelling tour de force that should guide public policy and prevention efforts at local, state, and national levels. Illustrated with numerous case examples, the author’s terse yet thorough analysis deftly covers the backgrounds and motives of mass shooters, security considerations for different settings from schools to places of worship, practical advice on how to survive an attack, and the most important strategies for prevention of mass shootings.
— Dewey Cornell PhD, forensic clinical psychologist and professor of education, University of Virginia; director of the UVA Virginia Youth Violence Project

Kate’s book is a powerful piece of work on an important topic, which unfortunately, seems to continue year after year. Her passion on the subject ofActive Shooters and well-thought research transcend traditional post-event analysis and offer a more logical solution to everyday citizens and community leaders.

The book is a compelling story which brings past active shooter events to life through the eyes of a leading expert with easy to understand ideas, concepts and true purpose. The book is perfect for any reader interested in a further understanding of a terrifying topic which knows no boundaries, socio-economic status or culture.
— John Raucci, former assistant director, FBI
 

If protecting your family and friends is of interest or if it is part of your role to ensure public safety & security whilst they are on your premises, in your hotel, shopping mall, school, church or attending an event you are organizing, then Stop the Killing is a must read! My friend and former colleague Kate Schweit has pulled together many of the elements of Protective Security & Preparedness that will give the reader a far greater understanding of Mass Shootings, how to mitigate against them and what to do if you find yourself caught up in one. It is particularly interesting to see how US culture and the Right to Bear Arms translates into policy unique to that country - Run, Hide, Fight (US) v Run, Hide, Tell (UK) for example. Having been personally responsible for the development and delivery of the UK Counter Terrorism (CT) response to what we define as a Marauding Terrorism Attack between and further responsible for exporting that expertise to strategically important countries to the UK, I can say with confidence that no other book I have read captures the essence of the Active Shooter quite like this one
— Mark Scoular, former head of the Marauding Terrorism Attack programme and head of International Protective Security & Preparedness for UK Counter Terrorism Policing
 

It would be easy to comment on Kate Schweits incredible depth of experience and understanding of the issues surrounding gun violence. Her ability to convey her knowledge in writing is even more impressive. The book grabs you in the first chapter and will not let you go until the end. If you are looking for masterful insight beyond statistics, from an undeniably trusted source, this is it.
— Aric Mutchnick, President/CEO, Experior Group Inc, Inventor, Red Ball Drills®
 

The first person I would ask if I wanted to know how to stop the killing from mass shootings would be former FBI executive, Katherine Schweit. She translates her vast knowledge into practical advice everyone needs to know. Stop the Killing powerfully connects life-saving tools: If You See Something, Say Something, Run. Hide. Fight®, and Stop the Bleed.
— Richard C. Hunt, MD, FACEP, Senior Medical Advisor, National Health Care Preparedness Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Former Director for Medical Preparedness Policy, National Security Council Staff
 

Katherine Schweit’s book is a gift. She is a clear and reasoned voice on a tragic issue that has been characterized by myth, misinformation, and fear. Her work is deeply researched. She presents practical truths designed to empower private citizens and public officials alike to prevent future violence. Stop the Killing provides real hope that we can act to save lives and to save families from the unspeakable anguish of losing a loved one to violent death at the hands of an active shooter.
— Kathryn M. Turman, assistant director, FBI Victim Services Division (Retired)

Katherine Schweit has conducted extensive research cutting through the information overload regarding mass shootings. This includes descriptions of the shooters, victims, locations, number of incidents and numerous other factors. She also provides practical recommendations for future policies and practices.
— Tom Fuentes, assistant director, FBI (retired)

Katherine Schweits book provides answers weve all been looking for to stop this senseless violence.
— Jeff Pegues, CBS News Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent