Active Shooter: America Under Fire

This series uses a combination of authentic video feeds, news media, official public safety media (audio, video), role-playing, and interviews with involved personnel (victims, families, public safety). It is gut-wrenching and some scenes are not suitable for young children.

As a member of Public Safety, I feel it is important to understand what happened in order to deal with possible future incidents.

One never knows when the next one will occur. Be alert, be aware.

The producers aren't afraid to tackle the tough calls. Sadly, there are enough of these events to keep this series going for a while. Remember, active shooter incidents are not a new to our society.

I put off viewing this thinking I knew enough already about the subject matter and would not learn anything new.

I was so wrong.

The episodes goes beyond the basics of the shootings by explaining how the first responders had to quickly adapt to unique situations plus also show what the families and the community also went thru.

There are also plenty of interviews from a number of people involved providing additional details not previously known.

Mass shootings are no longer a surprising occurrence to Americans. In fact, we've essentially let them become a part of what to expect in American culture. We have become so desensitized that these events are barely able to register as significant to us unless they break records in terms of casualties.

This show allows viewers to gain insight from the surving victims, witnesses, and law enforcement involved. It helps provide the essential empathy that we need to have for one another if we are to seriously address and alleviate the amount of senseless violence that we exact on one another.

The production quality is excellent. The content involves interviews along with actual footage (no dramatizations). There is no narration, although significant captions are periodically shown onscreen in between segments.

I expected this to be a peverse account of the incidents covered and to be honest, that's exactly why I chose to start watching it. Instead, I feel like I've met the most amazing people who were directly involved. They all deserve a really big hug or a solid handshake or a genuine salute. Needless to say, their stories are horrific and gut-wrenching, but also heart-warming and inspirational. Not what I was expecting!

This is a very personal, in-depth dive into what happens during an Active Shooter situation. It forces you to think about what you would do in a similar situation.

Will there be a 2nd season? Unfortunately, there's enough material. I would love to see a what goes into making a documentary like this.