active shooter
noun
plural active shooters
: a person who is illegally using a firearm to kill or try to kill people especially in a public place : a person who is shooting at people
Stunned shoppers and mall employees initially mistook the sound of glass breaking for gunshots, leading to false rumors of an active shooter.—
Caitlin Antonios
Caitlin Antoniosactive shooter drills
Examples of active shooter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite the frequency of such incidents, universities continue to direct a massive amount of their safety budgets toward robust emergency notification systems (ENS) designed for active shooter events or widespread public safety threats.
—Kevin Mullins, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
The look is in stark defiance of a proliferating security mentality in schools to stop active shooters.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
Las Vegas police open fire on active shooter at health club
Las Vegas police released video and 911 audio of officers responding to an active shooter at a health club on May 16, 2025.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
After the shooting started at about 11:50 a.m., FSU sent a text notifying the community of the active shooter.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for active shooter
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Kevin Mullins, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
The look is in stark defiance of a proliferating security mentality in schools to stop active shooters.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
Las Vegas police open fire on active shooter at health club
Las Vegas police released video and 911 audio of officers responding to an active shooter at a health club on May 16, 2025.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
After the shooting started at about 11:50 a.m., FSU sent a text notifying the community of the active shooter.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for active shooter
Cite this Entry
“Active shooter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/active%20shooter. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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