Mass Shooting Resources for Mayors*

*And other locally elected and appointed leaders.

When a mass shooting takes place, it falls on our nation’s mayors and city managers to respond. After researching six cities that responded to a mass shooting, UnitedOnGuns created non-partisan resources to help civic leaders prepare for, respond to, and help their communities recover from a mass shooting or other critical incident.

Our Resources

  • The Mass Shooting Protocol highlights the key decisions a civic leader needs to make immediately following a mass shooting. It contains a checklist and links to the Mass Shooting Playbook for detailed information.

  • The Mass Shooting Playbook is a comprehensive resource that covers a civic leader’s primary responsibilities. Topics include crisis communications, collaborating with first responder agencies, victim assistance, school shootings, and legal considerations. The Playbook also includes case briefs and resources developed by the FBI, CDC, FEMA and other federal agencies.

  • The Preparedness Checklist and the Tabletop Exercise Template are tools civic leaders can use to plan their community's response to a mass shooting.

  • Executive briefings are available for mayors, city managers, governors, and professional organizations (such as state municipal leagues). These briefings are offered in partnership with the Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Law Enforcement Readiness

Law enforcement agencies require specialized training to effectively respond to a mass shooting. To understand how civic leaders can foster law enforcement readiness, please review, "Uvalde Failures Underscore the Importance of Preparedness: Ensuring your community is prepared for a mass shooting or other critical incident,” published by the ICMA Public Management magazine. For additional information, listen to the ICMA "Voices in Local Government" podcast series entitled, “Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying.”

Upcoming Events

Sarah C. Peck will brief mayors on “The Role of Local Leaders in Preparing for Mass Shootings” at the Michigan Municipal League annual conference, CapCon 2025, on March 19, 2025 in Lansing, Michigan. For more information, please visit the News & Events page.

Additional Resources

Additional resources can be found in Key Resources, such as the Mayor’s Guide to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). BSCA provides federal funding for programs to reduce community gun violence and to promote school safety and mental wellness.

For more information, or to organize an executive briefing for your city or organization, please contact Sarah C. Peck, s.peck@phai.org.

“The Playbook is required reading
for every mayor.”

— Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando FL (Pulse Shooting)

“The Playbook provided vitally
helpful direction.”

— Mayor Nancy Rotering, Highland Park IL (July Fourth Shooting)

“It isn’t if but when.
Mayors need to prepare.”

— Mayor Nan Whaley, Dayton OH (Oregon District Shooting)

“We picked up our office copy of the Playbook
on our way to the school and referred to it
throughout the response.”

— Kristin Wilson, Chief of Operations and Performance,
Nashville TN (Covenant School Shooting)