It wasn't kids inside the old L.C. Curry Elementary School building today, it was the Bowling Green Police Department. They conducted a training exercise before the building is set to be demolished.

"Today, officers are responding here. they're being told there's an active shooter situation inside the school. they're being being issued simunition guns, which if you're not familiar with that, they're very similar to paintball guns. They're having to enter the school, take care of the threat, and also treat the victims inside the school," said Officer Ryan Dillon.

"The officers encountered inside obstacles that they would readily, and encounter if this was potentially a real world situation... with the suspects in the real world are changing their tactics, it's only responsible for us to change ours," said Sergeant Charles Casey.

Those changes begin with the method of response.

"The preferred method of response before the Columbine shooting was to arrive on the scene, set up a parameter, and wait for the swat team to arrive. After Columbine, that's changed. Now the patrol officers are also going to be the first ones to enter the building," said Officer Dillon.

Officers say this will help responders be prepared to deal with scenarios without having to wait on swat teams to arrive.
It also makes officers more prepared to deal with any situation.

"The last Aurora shooting in Colorado, and some other shootings that we've seen nationwide, we've seen these suspects use different elements such as smoke, tear gas, and so the training used both smoke and tear gas, and water today inside the school so officers will know how to respond to it and prepare for it," said Officer Dillon.

Three training simulations were conducted today at the old L.C. Curry building. Police believe trainings like these will help them be ready to protect the public against even the worst of situations.