AMOK

FOR EUROPEAN SCHOOLS
AMOK: “A situation in which a person or persons attacks the
persons present in a particular location and try to make as many
victims as possible, without entrenching or taking hostages.”

WORD OF WARNING
CATEGORIES OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE ADVERSARY
This document is based on extensive research and close cooperation with national EU
member states’ police experts. Nevertheless, this document is not a check list which, by
ticking all necessary boxes, guarantees you a complete secure environment in an AMOK
situation. 100% security is a myth as every situation is different and might even evolve
while happening. However, you can (must) be prepared. Security at school involves extensive
planning, training and the support and involvement of everybody; staff, students, families…
CATEGORY
STUDENT
DESCRIPTION
Student(s), often with complicated motives and contributing factors,
perceive violence against classmates as justified and as an ultimate
solution to their problems (Type 2 – Meloy, 2013)
“THE SCHOOL”
is more than a set of buildings! The moment parents put their children on the bus, drop them
off before school periods and pick them up aſter school periods or external school activities,
they consider their children as being “at school”.Therefore all drills and plans must be known
to all occupants and organizers of extra-school activities and the responsibilities have to be
well defined. Emergency services must be aware of presences before and aſter school time.
WHAT IS AMOK?
OUTSIDER
ADULT
INSIDER
ADULT
Often pseudo-commando (homicide-suicide)-type adult with a
personal connection to the school (former graduate, family connection,
etc), or owing to its vulnerability, targets the school and students.
Less common examples are often acts of targeted workplace violence
against faculty members (Type - Meloy, 2013)
School employee (or recently terminated employee), often desperate
and motivated by revenge, opts for violence against students and
faculty as a means of vengeance. (Type 3 – Meloy 2013)
IT IS NOT
Only related to terrorism or to fire arms; it does not happen only in classes or offices
but also in open spaces and unfortunately it does not happen only “somewhere else”.
TERRORIST
Terrorist group recognizes huge potential for emotional impact by
targeting children, parents and teachers as victims or hostages (Type
2 – Meloy, 2013)
IT IS
One (mostly) or more actors, moving around freely in a cold and calculated way with the plan to
make as many victims as possible and with suicide in 90% of cases. Their main objective
is making “numbers”. As such, they are not interested in hostages, ransom demands or
negotiations. “They” are mostly men acting alone.
THE BEST DEVELOPED COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY PLAN IS AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK:
• The example always comes from above.
• The comfort of one can never jeopardise the security of all.

KEY TO SUCCESS:
PREVENTION-PREVENTION-PREVENTION
“In order to avoid that a seed is planted in the head of a person, which develops into a
poisonous plant, pushing the person towards violence, prevention is essential.”
HOW?
As a large majority of AMOK cases have bullying as one of the main contributing factors,
anti-bullying programs are vital. Also an Open School Society, with an Open Communication
Policy where everybody can forward his concerns and is listened to, is essential.
AMOK VS RADICALISM
Even if there are similarities as to the perpetrators and modes of action, and even if the
police responses in case of attacks are very close, there are substantial differences between
an AMOK incident and a terrorist attack (radicalism).
Most notable differences are ideological reasons and the atmosphere of fear generated
which will be more considerable with a terrorist attack.
Also, an AMOK author generally operates alone during his planning, preparation and attack;
while radicals can often count on networks for support in their planning, for their resources
and/or actions.
THREAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
Management should have a threat assessment capability. Their mission is the identification
of threats made, evaluation of seriousness of the threat and danger it poses to others, a
possible intervention to reduce the risk of violence (involving student-parents-police) and a
follow-up to assess the intervention’s result.
PROFILING DOES NOT WORK!
Often it is believed that profiling would be the ultimate solution. However, profiling an
individual in an AMOK school environment results in making false predictions, generating
stereotypes and does not solve problems. The reason for this is that there are not enough
AMOK cases in schools in order to develop a substantiated basis for a profile.

ANATOMY OF A SCHOOL ATTACK
Pathway to Violence
“A series of sequential steps – from its beginning with a felt grievance, to violent ideation, research
and planning, specific preparations for violence, critical breaches of security or other boundaries, to a
concluding attack –indicating that an individual is progressing towards an act of targeted violence”
(Calhoun & Weston, 2003; Fein et al., 2002).
1. IDEATION 2. OPERATIONAL
PLANNING
3. PRE-ATTACK
PREPARATIONS
4. EXECUTION
5. POST-ATTACK /
ESCAPE
Motive evolves into violent intent:
• STUDENT - Student perceives violence
as justified revenge and as a final
solution to their problems (E. Harris &
D. Klebold, K. Kinkel, etc.).
• INSIDER ADULT – Current/former
school official rejected by school
administration or community
conceives of violence as a means
of vengeance (Kehoe, S. Shumerth, A.
Bishop, etc).
• OUTSIDER ADULT – Individual
motivated by a variety of possible
factors (fascination with mass
violence, mental illness, sexual
compulsion, family issues, etc.)
becomes obsessed with idea of school
violence (D. Morrison, A. Lanza, C.C.
Roberts IV, etc.)
• TERRORIST – Terrorist group
recognizes huge potential for
emotional impact by attacking school
or taking children, parents, and
teachers hostage. (RSBCM, DFLP, Boko
Haram, etc.)Personality disorder
may/or may not be a factor fuelling
escalation from MOTIVE TO INTENT
• Time Span: Months to Years
• Often begins as violent fantasies that
frame the template for attack
• Formally begins when perpetrator has
committed to the idea of an attack.
• Involves information gathering
aimed at supporting an attack
plan. (identification of targets,
establishment of routines, etc.)
• Research on tactics, weapons, IED
making, etc. (Developing Capability)
• Acquiring resources (weapons,
explosives, etc.)
• Time Span: Weeks to Years (months
most commonly)
• Usually begins when attack date
is selected and the perpetrator is
satisfied with the attack plan.
• Participants may ‘disconnect’ from
others at the school
• Final mission-essential resources are
acquired (if not already in possession)
• Weapons prepared, bombs
constructed, & other final
preparations
• Warnings to friends, social media
statements
• Duration: Days to Weeks
• Assault launched
• Often executed with intention of
suicide as final resolution after
damage is done.
• Often terminates with suicide when
perpetrator realizes responders have
arrived or are breaching the facility.
• If not suicide, killer may try to escape
in a vehicle or go to another location
to continue killing spree
The Role of Warning Behaviors in Threat Assessment: An Exploration and Suggested Typology
J. Reid Meloy, Ph.D.*, Jens Hoffmann, Ph.D.,†
Angela Guldimann, M.A.,{ and David James, M.B., B.S., M.A.}

PREVENTION
Suspicious behaviour, strange events, even a gut feeling must be reported and should
not be limited to teachers or supervisors:
•Unknown cars, vans parked in front of the school or in park-free zones, with or without
occupants.
•Reoccurring passages of same people; walking a dog or with a stroller, male or female.
COUNTERMEASURES RELATIVE TO THE SCHOOL ATTACK SEQUENCE
Proactive
Countermeasures
Reduce Risk Probability
1 2 3 4 5
Mitigating
Countermeasures
Reduce Risk Severity
•Pictures taken of the school or his occupants by anyone.
Teach the students to report anything out of the ordinary, especially when surfing the
social media platforms, such as questions asked about the school.
Safe School Culture
Open School
community
Anti-bullying measures
Threat Management
Threat Awareness
Threat assessment
Threat Management
Physical Security
Detection
Delay
Response
Plans & Preparation & Test
Crisis & Post-Incident Plans
Lessons Learned
Recommended reading: “The final report and findings of the safe school initiative”
https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/preventingattacksreport.pdf
EVAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8syQeFtBKc

HOW TO REACT IN AN AMOK SITUATION?
ESCAPE
Decisions and actions taken in the first five seconds often
make the difference between life and death!
Do not wait for someone to tell you what to do!
Reality check:
• Evacuating a class room of scared students in a hostile
environment?
• Exact location of the threat (confusion – chaos – panic)?
Virtually impossible or only at great risk to the children and
yourself. Therefore:
ALWAYS BARRICADE
Unless confronted in the open (sport fields, school trips,
eventually sports arena)
IT IS NOT SAFE TO ESCAPE: BARRICADE
Procedures for locking and barricading rooms should be simple
and fast!
Pre-plan how you will barricade your room in case of a violent
intruder!
• Lock the door if it has a key (key always in lock all day) or
with the fast locking system
• Barricade the door in every (silent) way you can
• Silence cell phone, switch off vibrate alarm (and check
them!)
• Keep as low as you can, stay away from windows or any
glass surfaces.
• Always have a back-up plan for escape during lock-down
ONCE BARRICADED, NEVER LIFT THE
BARRICADE UNTIL POLICE IS PRESENT!
RESIST
No active shooters have ever been stopped by victims who
froze, closed their eyes, covered their head, cried, begged for
their lives or played dead.
If you want to survive you must
RESIST = SELF-DEFENCE!
But only as the very last resort!
• Try to act in group, even with young ones among you.
• Use every weapon of opportunity (pens, scissors, paper
punch, fire extinguisher, chair, …)
• Fully commit to it, do not stop until the threat is
incapacitated
• Important: Once neutralized, move away (escape) from
the threat. Do not touch any objects the intruder has
with him or on him (for instance a gun)
Emergency evacuation during armed incident in the open:
• Prepare everyone to move rapidly.
• Listen first, then peek and make sure the intruder is not nearby.
• Instruct students to move rapidly to the preselected rally point or as far away from the dangerous scene as possible.
• If intruder is an actual shooter, instruct students to run as quickly as possible.

REUNIFICATION
In most threat incidents, students will be evacuated immediately after the threat is
neutralized for reunification with parents/guardians.
Problems encountered with previous incidents:
• Teachers and parents not knowing where to go for reunification
• Reunification personnel not knowing procedures
• Difficulty in locating students at reunification site
• Difficulty in credentialing authorized guardians
• Lack of readiness for dealing with tragic notifications, grieving parents, etc.
• Lack of readiness for news media
AFTER CARE
You have experienced an extraordinary and traumatizing event.
If you feel uncomfortable and faced with certain symptoms (insomnia, panic attacks, loss
of appetite,…) , do not hesitate to contact the medical service put in place and which are at
your disposal such as:
• Red Cross
• Police victims support
• Employer’s own psychological service
These symptoms may even occur after a prolonged period after the events
Importance of pro-active planning
• Most common problems can be avoided by having a good protocol, advance
preparation, and properly trained staff.
• Responsibility of management to plan and install, responsibility of staff to know
the correct procedures