Active shooter drill takes Hopi Jr./Sr. High by storm, receives high marks

Hopi Police Officer Jared Shupla and his K9 partner get the active shooter under control. Photo/Stan Bindell

Hopi Police Officer Jared Shupla and his K9 partner get the active shooter under control. Photo/Stan Bindell

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Hopi Police Officer Jared Shula works on the K9 unit. Photo/Stan Bindell

POLACCA, ARIZ. — Evaluators gave Hopi Jr/Sr High School staff and emergency responders high marks for their actions during an active shooter drill Nov. 2. However, they did say there is room for improvement, which was a reason for the drill.

Similar drills have been conducted in Window Rock, Many Farms and other schools, but this was the first time for this type of drill on the Hopi Reservation.

The operation included the Hopi Tribe’s Emergency Medical Services, Hopi Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Police, Hopi Fire Department, Arizona Department of Transportation, Apache and Navajo County Sheriff’s Offices, Indian Health Services and Northland Pioneer College.

No real guns were used for the exercise, although a couple law enforcement officers had real guns in case a real situation broke out during the drill.

The active shooter drill began in the cafeteria where the shooter wounded several students. Then he went out in the hallway where police cornered him and he shot himself. The police used fake guns and the shooter used his finger as a gun.

Apache County Deputy Antony Notah said his agency enjoys working with the other agencies.

Navajo County Deputy Shane Robertson said some teachers were upset that the police would not put their IDs under the door. He said some of the IDs won’t fit under the doors, but police don’t like to give up their only IDs. He said a two way glass in the door would be helpful so people can’t see in, but teachers could see out. He said this would be a workable solution.

“It felt like a real exercise because people were sweaty and breathing hard,” he said.

Robertson said even the K9 police dog had bad gas because of the stress.

Velleda Sidney, lead facilitator for the Hopi Emergency Response Team, thanked everyone involved.

“It shows how supportive you are,” she said. “We have a lot of fixing to do. This is a sensitive topic…Take it seriously because next time it might be a chemical spill.”

Sidney said she was glad to see so many involved because if there’s ever a real incident they will need everybody. She said the drill was a good test of the school’s evacuation system.

“We learned the protocols for an active shooter drill,” she said. “Students need to be taught how to care for each other during that time, such as how to stop bleeding.”

Sidney said students acted as if they were in chaos when the active shooting started.

“It was sad. I felt like crying,” she said.

Garlyn Navakuku, director of facilities for Hopi Jr/Sr High School, said he has wanted this drill for years, but the Hopi Tribe made it happen.

“The tribe is our leading agency. We needed somebody like that. It has to be the tribe to bring it together. I’m glad she was here to get it done,” he said about Sidney.

Navakuku said Hopi people need to take ownership of this because about 600 students and 100 staff are at the school.

“The bottom line is we need to work together. This is where we start to build,” he said.

Navakuku thanked Hopi Junior High Principal Lucille Sidney,, Hopi Jr/Sr High Business Manager Patrick Secakuku and Hopi Jr/Sr High Athletic Director Ricky Greer for their part in the active shooter drill.

Hopi Police Chief Jamie Kootswatewa said the drill gives those involved an idea of what a real shooting would be like. He said eight of his officers were involved in the drill.

“The idea is for the officers to neutralize any threat,” he said. “We don’t train as much as we should, especially with these multi agencies. This is the time to realize faults and correct them.”

Hopi Police Officer Emerson Ami said there were problems with green tags that teachers put under doorways. The green tag meant all the students were accounted for in that classroom, but Ami said the officers were never told what the green tag meant.

Jason Secakuku, an evaluator from Shonto School, said his school eliminated the green cards because of the problems with officers not knowing what they meant.

“This was a big undertaking. People were up here two or three in the morning,” he said. “This is a rural place and every resource needs to be used. If you’re certified and have a gun, you should be here.”

Secakuku said it was sad that the Hopi Rangers were not involved in this event.

“Let’s get rid of the lines in the sand. It’s our children. I take this personally. What if my kids went to school here?” he asked

Chuck Villa, maintenance foreman for Hopi Jr/Sr High School, said he was glad everybody showed up to work on this, but he hopes they never have to use what they learned.

Lyan Naha, lead security guard for Hopi Jr/Sr High School, said some of the emergency vehicles parked in the area the buses are supposed to use if they have to take the students off campus.

“That’s the only flaw that I saw,” she said.

Paul Saufkie from the Emergency Operations Center said they called for food, generators and port-o-johns. They also had the state EOC on standby.

“Everything went well from our side,” he said.

Colleen Yazzie, an evaluator from Navajo Nation Emergency Medical Services, said those involved had a good emergency system.

“I was impressed. We are seeing improvement in communication,” she said.

However, Yazzie said she was told there would be 12 patients and she only saw nine.

“The drill changed somewhere along the way,” she said.

Yazzie said there was also a problem clearing the building as four students weren’t found until much later.

“We need to train together and watch each other’s backs,” she said.

Sonya Polelonema from Emergency Medical Services said medical personal cleared the scene fairly quickly taking off 12 injured patients. About 45 Hopi students were randomly selected to participate in the drill and some acted as the wounded patients.

Darwin Lomayaktewa from the Hopi Fire Department said the first fire engine responded quickly. Fireman Hubert Sekayumptewa said they responded quickly from Keams Canyon, but that there were some glitches.

Stetson Lomayestewa from ADOT said some people had to be turned away because they arrived late for the event and the school was already in lockdown mode.

Daryl Harvey from BIA dispatch said there was some problems with repetitive transmission that clogged the lines.

“But it was great for the first time,” he said.

Fireman Edison Wauneka Jr. said there were constant updates during the drill.

“It was a good exercise. Everybody is to be commended. Your community, your kids and you will be ready,” he said.

Melvin Todacheene, an evaluator from ADOT, said there were some problems with communication.

Sheila Silva from Gallup’s Indian Health Services said this was a great event.

“Don’t back down. This was one of the best active shooter drills. It was near perfect, awesome,” she said.

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