The news this weekend was horrifyingly familiar.
A gunman opened fire in a popular Orlando, Fla. nightclub over the weekend, taking the lives of 50 patrons and wounding scores of others before he was finally gunned down by police.
According to a timeline of the shooting put together by CNN, the shooter entered the nightclub and began shooting at 2:02 a.m. Survivors say that the shooting went on as long as an entire song, perhaps three or four minutes. A uniformed police officer working extra duty at the club responded within the first moments. By 2:09 a.m., just seven minutes after the attack began, Pulse posted a message to Facebook advising patrons to get out of the club and keep running.
In just a few brief, terrifying moments of chaos, many innocent lives were taken, and many more lives were altered forever.
Perhaps the worst part is realizing it can happen again, and it probably will.
Community leaders and lawmakers will continue to grapple with solutions. In the meantime, business owners and building managers will do the best they can to reduce risks and protect employees and guests. Some ideas:
Plan an active shooter drill. Resources are available to help you start the conversation and identify steps.
Talk to children about gun violence.
Carefully consider automated detection, security and notification systems.