Northwestern Releases Realistic Active Shooter Safety Video
CHICAGO (CBS)--Even before the mass shooting in California this week, Northwestern University had been working on an active shooter safety video to help keep students and staff safe.
The video, 'Run, Hide, Fight,' was filmed on campus, and was released Thursday.
Northwestern is the first Chicago-area university to produce this type shockingly-realistic video.
It was prompted, in part, by the active shooter hoax last March, which put Northwestern on lockdown and sent scores of officers to the area.
The shocking nature of the video was not unintentional. Northwestern University spokesperson Jeri Ward said it was meant to get students' attention.
"By filming this video on our campus, we think it's going to resonate with our audience and they'll remember the content when it really matters," Ward said.
Ward said the hoax that occurred last spring wasn't the main reason to film the video, but the situation reinforced the need to get new safety information out to the campus community.
The fast paced, eight-minute video takes viewers through three active shooter scenarios, with the scenes played out by actors telling people how to react if they find themselves in an active-shooter situation.
Student reaction was mixed.
"It was very overproduced, and in that way almost came across as being a little too disingenuous," said Northwestern University student Nathan Huxtable.
Another student, Gretchen Ellefson, told CBS 2 the video made her uncomfortable.
