CAMPUS `SHOOTOUT' AREA DEPUTIES REACT TO MOCK SCHOOL ATTACK.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Sheriff's deputies entered Lancaster High School on Thursday with guns blazing - training how to react if a gunman or some gunmen invaded a local high school and began shooting students.

With Junior ROTC cadets portraying wounded, screaming teenagers, teams of deputies were coached through the best way to capture or kill gunmen while taking care of wounded students. Two deputies in street clothes played the invading gunmen.

``It's part of our ongoing effort to be prepared in case something bad were to happen,'' said Deputy John Rush, who heads the Antelope Valley deputies assigned to patrol local campuses.

Begun two years ago in response to school shootings like the infamous Columbine High School killings, sessions are held regularly, and organizers hope all deputies assigned to the Antelope Valley stations will have completed the training program within the next year.

``We'll continue to do these to be prepared,'' Rush said. ``We want to be as ready as we can in case something does happen.''

Among the spectators Thursday was Darren Hansen, the principal of Grace Lutheran School, who will be developing evacuation and emergency operation plans for his students.

Thursday's training took place while Lancaster High was closed for spring vacation. Deputy Bobby Rush, who is Deputy John Rush's brother, and Deputy Steve Owen played the gunmen, firing 9 mm Berettas modified to shoot a pellet similar to a paintball.

Each exercise began with a gunman firing his weapon and students screaming. Deputies then entered the campus and followed the sounds of gunfire and screams to close in on the two ``gunmen.''

The two moved through the school and, in their wake, left students assigned to act dead or wounded.

Deputies in training located each one who was ``wounded'' and carried the student to safety.

The mock gunmen hid behind a water fountain or around a staircase corner to ambush the training deputies as they passed. All wore masks to protect their faces from the pellets.

Shouting directions and questioning their actions, John Rush followed the deputies searching the campus. At one point, a group of deputies snatched a ``wounded'' student off a staircase but forgot to keep a lookout behind them as they carried the ``victim'' to safety.

``Who's watching behind you?'' Rush yelled at them. ``Bang-bang! You're all ... dead.''

Each scenario is less than five minutes long, although it takes about 18 minutes including briefing and critiques. Officials say the faster deputies can get in and end the situation, the more lives they will save.

As each team completes the exercise, a new scenario is used so that later trainees do not know what to expect.

Members of the Sheriff's Department's Advanced Officer Training Unit watched the exercises. After each exercise, deputies got a talk about what they did right and wrong, and problem-solving alternatives are suggested.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Sheriff's deputies in masks, protecting them from paint pellets, release ``hostages'' in a drill Thursday at Lancaster High.

(2 -- color -- ran in AV edition only) Firing pellets similar to paint balls, deputies aim at ``gunmen'' who staged a mock invasion Thursday at Lancaster High School.

(3 -- ran in SAC edition only) Sheriff's deputies, wearing masks to protect them from paint pellets, release ``hostages'' in a drill Thursday at Lancaster High. Such training sessions are held regularly.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer