Districts Invited to “Mass Attacks in Public Spaces” Webinar on Aug. 6

Polk County Emergency Management invites districts to an upcoming free virtual presentation hosted by the National Threat Assessment Center that will share findings from its latest study on targeted violence titled, Mass Attacks in Public Spaces – 2019 (MAPS – 2019). The event will also feature guest speakers, including U.S. Secret Service Director James M. Murray, and leadership from other partner agencies.

The study examines 34 targeted attacks between January and December 2019, that harmed three or more people (not including the attacker), and occurred in public or semi-public spaces where people spend time in their daily lives (e.g., schools, places of business, houses of worship, open spaces). NTAC researchers studied the tactics, backgrounds, and pre-attack behaviors of the perpetrators to identify and affirm recommended best-practices in threat assessment and prevention. The presentation will address the report’s implications for the prevention of targeted violence and is part of NTAC’s continuous efforts to ensure the informed development of prevention strategies through relevant research.  

This event is open to law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school personnel, campus security, house of worship leadership, government officials, and others with a role in public safety across the United States. The actual link to the Microsoft Teams Live Event will be sent to registrants at a date in the near future. 

August 6, 2020 

1:00pm – 4:00pm EDT (12:00pm – 3:00pm CDT) 

Registration