AST Digital Magazine August 2017 Digital-Aug | Page 70

Volume 15
August 2017 Edition
Is Building Design Adding to Casualty Counts in
Active Shooter Events?
By Doug Haines, Owner and CEO of Haines Security Solu-
tions
Aaron Alexis marched through the Navy Yard going door to
door with a sawed-off shotgun in his hand on Sept 16, 2013,
fatally shooting 12 people and injured three others in a mass
shooting at the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Com-
mand (NAVSEA) inside the Washington Navy Yard in Wash-
ington, D.C. It was the second-deadliest mass murder on a
U.S. military base, behind only the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
(Image courtesy of the FBI)
I do my best work when there are no distractions;
other people getting coffee or gossiping around
me.
I can focus on the task at hand but the newer
generation is able to cope with multiple levels
of information almost simultaneously so I guess
grandpa needs to adapt.
Modern architectural design in the past few
years has gone from buildings with lots of
cubby-hole offices, conferences, classrooms
and shared space to wide-open spaces that
cover an entire floor, or wing of a building
with different areas reserved for different
functions.
The idea being that shared space actually con-
tributes to interaction between company mem-
bers, classmates and fosters a sense of inven-
tiveness, creativity and community.
I’m not sure I agree.
(Aaron Alexis marched through the Navy Yard going door to
door with a sawed-off shotgun in his hand on Sept 16, 2013,
fatally shooting 12 people and injured three others in a mass
shooting at the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Com-
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