ESC: Preventing Active Shootings

ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION—and Save Lives

By Mark D. Lerner, Ph.D.

Chairman, The National Center for Emotional Wellness

Principal Consultant and Creator, AI-Integrated Emotional Wellness

Active shootings are devastating communities, tearing apart families, and shattering lives—yet they’re almost never impulsive acts.

There’s a powerful, often overlooked truth: in nearly every mass shooting—someone knew something beforehand.

ESC—Err on the Side of Caution—must become a national standard when a potential perpetrator intentionally or unintentionally reveals an intent to harm others. Vigilance and action can save lives. The warning signs may be a direct threat, an ominous social media post, an obsession with firearms, or the actions of past shooters.

Unfortunately, in our rapidly increasing technological world, there’s a fundamental breakdown in authentic interpersonal communication. This silence—this failure to speak up—continues to cost lives.

So, what’s the answer? Spread the word and practice ESC—Err on the Side of Caution.

Perpetrators of violence don’t act out when communities are alert; they act out during times of complacency. That's where our nation’s powerful media can make a difference:

Encourage people to immediately call 911 or alert authorities if they see or hear anything troubling—even if they believe their concerns may prove to be unfounded.

ESC must become the new norm in America—because nearly every mass shooting could have been prevented had someone acted on early warning signs with the timeless idiom: Err on the Side of Caution!

“Prevention begins with a simple step: Err on the Side of Caution.”

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