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
active shooter drills

Examples of active shooter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The sergeant at the scene Wednesday night said that in a separate incident, another man was falsely told of an active shooter situation at the airport and arrived armed. Pilar Arias, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024 Behind the scenes: During their first active shooter drill of the year, Stinger was perplexed by the questions her 7- and 8-year-old students asked. Avery Lotz, Axios, 17 Dec. 2024 On Monday morning, officers responded to an active shooter call at the school, with a number of officers giving lifesaving aid to those who were wounded inside. Tara Suter, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024 The school representative also confirmed that the faculty and students had been trained in lockdown procedures, which were implemented during the active shooter incident on Monday. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for active shooter 

Word History

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of active shooter was in 1999

Dictionary Entries Near active shooter

Cite this Entry

“Active shooter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/active%20shooter. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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