HOUSTON – Mass shootings that happened in offices, restaurants, schools and military bases. When they happen, it always raises the issue: Should people carry a gun? If they already do, would they know how to respond to the threat?
A doctor's office, a movie theater and a typical workplace are just some of the different active shooter scenarios that are part of a course taught by Aaron Cowan.
Cowan is a U.S. Army veteran and private security contractor. He's sharing his expertise, offering dozens of courses on weapons use.
"You have to decide right then and there, 'Am I going to get involved? Do I possess the equipment necessary to get involved? And is getting involved the wisest decision for me?'" Cowan said.
One course focuses on the basics of confronting an active shooter. It incorporates the same essentials someone would see in law enforcement and military training.
"The most important thing a student is going to get is the realization that for firearms, for self-defense with a firearm, that being able to mechanically work the gun is literally the lowest level of operation. It's the beginning," Cowan said.
Each student has one thing in common. They all own a gun, and they're determined to know what to do in a deadly situation.
"I've taken two classes with Aaron," Jeff Heyde said. "Both times, I've walked away with knowledge that changed my perspective on how I do things and a lot of considerations for real life."
Chris Willis is a single dad, and that is his motivation for training.
"Basically, it comes down to there are bad people out there who may try to either keep me from my sons or try to harm my sons, and my job is to not let that happen," Willis said.
Cowan starts the class by reviewing more than 50 active shooter incidents, from 1973 to more recent history, explaining how attackers have changed their modes of operation.
"About two seconds after that, the shooter's going to come in, and he's just going to start shooting," Cowan said.
Then the scenarios begin. They're all based on real situations that have occurred in the past. No one knows what's about to happen. Cowan watches as the students decide when, how and even if to shoot.
"Treat it like you would the real world. If you wouldn't draw your gun in the real world, don't draw your gun in the scenario," Cowan said.
Cowan then critiques their actions, explaining what the students did wrong and what can be done better.
"Probably the most interesting thing is how quickly the scenarios move. It'll go from normal everyday life, sitting in a movie theater or restaurant, to all hell breaking loose in less than a second," Willis said. "And before you know it, there's bullets flying, and you're trying to figure out what to do."
"I can't encourage training for responsible citizens enough," Heyde said. "It's a right to carry a firearm, I get that. It's also a responsibility."
Cowan teaches that mindset in his courses, which he offers across the country. He'll be in the Houston area in June.
Click for more on the class, and click here to watch eight different active shooter scenarios he teaches.