A recent article in Campus Safety, a periodical for the ​​school, university, and healthcare facility protection professionals, outlines some of the clues and signs someone is wearing or carrying a concealed weapon. The piece, titled “7 Signs A Weapon Is Being Concealed,” certainly contains some useful information for security personnel (and possibly even the general public). However, it doesn't provide the complete picture of all the difficulties involved in such a determination. Let's take a closer look at some important factors the article fails to address.

Active Shooter (and Other Violent Attacker) Situations

Most of our tools for dealing with active shooter situations can only be used in what the Marine Corps calls “right of bang” circumstances—after shots have been fired. (That's also true, of course, for cases where other weapons are being used, but these are much less common than gun violence when it comes to violence perpetrated in public.) That's the nature of the beast, of course—as the blockbuster movie Minority Report made clear, it's difficult to apprehend suspects before they commit any crimes.

However, being aware of individuals who may be concealing weapons with the intent of using them is nevertheless valuable knowledge. Other interventions can be staged to forestall the possibility of an attack. That's the premise of the Campus Safety article.

The Risk of False Accusations

Unfortunately, focusing on potentially violent individuals in the name of preventing injury and death to innocent bystanders can sometimes suffer from a tunnel-vision perspective. It's important to understand that there are many possible explanations for people's behaviors, actions, and moods—even those that appear suspect to observers. This is something of a corollary to psychologist Abraham Maslow's famous quote that if your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

Of course, waylaying, questioning, or even detaining someone on the suspicion that they are carrying a weapon can really backfire (no pun intended!) when that individual is unarmed and innocent.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Let's take a look at an example. One of the “tells” mentioned in the Campus Security slideshow is walking with an unnatural gait—taking short steps, moving stiffly, favoring one leg, etc. Awkward movement could be a sign that the person has a rifle or shotgun concealed in their pants leg; that they have a knife or handgun tucked into their waistband; or that they're concealing a weapon in their boot, strapped to their lower leg, or in a shoulder holster.

An awkward or unnatural gait could be explained in many different ways. The person could be disabled. They could be suffering chronic pain from osteoarthritis or an autoimmune disorder. Heck, they could just be sore from yesterday's workout or from a slip and fall. It's also quite possible that they are concealing a different item, maybe one that's also forbidden on campus or illegal but not a weapon. It's quite possible that they're underage and concealing a bottle of alcohol or that they have drugs or drug paraphernalia on their person.

Similarly, several of the other signs of concealed weapons enumerated in the article may have entirely innocent explanations. A low-slung jacket or hoodie pocket could conceal a handgun—or an iPad, a water bottle, a jar, or a big ring of keys. A person acting nervously could be nervous about any number of issues—an exam, an important meeting, the fact that they're skipping class, social anxiety, or a fear of authority figures.

Get Help After Unfair Treatment or Uncalled-for Assumptions

Better safe than sorry? Maybe. But assumptions alone won't make our society safe, and they can do real harm. If you or your child has been the victim of overzealous campus security personnel and detained, frisked, accused, or otherwise singled out, there is recourse.

At the Lento Law Firm, we're committed to helping students resolve their school- or campus-related issues. Tell us about your situation to find out if we can help you. Call 888.535.3686 or click here to get started.