Shooting or terrorist attack: what to do? Run, hide, call 112

⏱ 4 min read

Street, mall, concert, train: run, hide, tell. Below: what to do right away, what next, when to call 112 and what to avoid. The same instructions are in the free SurvivalZone.app and work without internet.

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First, right now

Hear gunshots, screams or see an armed attacker? Run at once if there is a safe route. Leave your bags and do not wait for others, but take anyone who wants to come. Run away from the noise, not towards a crowd jammed at one exit.
Cannot get away? Hide behind something that stops bullets: a wall, a pillar, a heavy piece of furniture, a car’s engine block. Cover that only hides you from view, such as a bush, a curtain or a thin partition, does not protect you. Get into a room, lock the door, block it, silence your phone including vibration, switch off the lights and lie down away from doors and windows.
When you are safe, call 112: where you are, how many attackers, what weapons they have, what they look like and where they are going. Cannot speak? Stay on the line so the operator can hear what is happening.

Then

Vehicle or knife attack on the street? Step aside and get behind something solid: a pole, a wall, a building entrance. Do not run straight along the road.
When the police arrive: stand or lie with your hands high and empty, palms open. Do not run towards officers, shout or point, and follow their instructions. At first they do not know who the attacker is, and they may hold you for a short time.
Someone is bleeding? Help only once you are in a safe place. Press hard on the wound with a clean cloth. For heavy bleeding from an arm or leg, put a tourniquet above the wound.
Text your family: “I am safe, I am at…”. Do not call everyone one by one, as you will overload the network and block lines the services need.
Last resort, when the attacker is right next to you and there is no way out: act together with others, throw objects, hit hard and do not stop. Only when there is no other way.
Afterwards go where the responders direct you and stay so witnesses can be recorded. Support for victims and witnesses: the free victim-support helpline 116 006 (Poland and Germany).

When to call 112

Always, once you are safe. Give the location, number of attackers, weapons, description and direction. Call too if you see someone preparing an attack or a suspicious item left behind.

What not to do

Do not film or take photos instead of getting away.
Do not go back for a bag, a car or loved ones. Check on them later by text.
Do not hide in a crowd at the only exit or in the open where everyone is visible.
Do not post photos or news from the scene while the operation is on: the attacker may be reading, and rumours make the services’ work harder.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I hear gunshots in a public place?

Run if there is a safe route and leave your bags. If not, hide behind something that stops bullets, silence your phone and stay quiet. When you are safe, call 112.

What is the difference between cover and concealment?

Concealment, such as a bush, a curtain or a thin partition, hides you from view but does not stop a bullet. Cover, such as a wall, a pillar or a car’s engine block, can protect you.

How should I act when the police arrive?

Keep your hands high and empty with palms open, do not run towards officers and follow their instructions. At first they do not know who the attacker is.

Keep it on your phone

SurvivalZone.app is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.

Open SurvivalZone.app

Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.

Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.

Other scenarios

Sources

Scientific literature and guidelines

WHO: Psychological first aid, guide for field workers

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-08.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.