All of the main "Einsatzgruppen" took part in mass shootings from the beginning of the war. At first, they shot only adult Jewish men. However, by August, they were shooting all Jews, including women, children, infants, and the elderly. At first, they killed people in firing squads. When this became too slow, the "Einsatzkommandos" began to shoot larger groups next to, or even inside, mass graves. As news about these killings spread, many Jewish people ran away.