Columbine High School massacre officers using this tactic are trained to move toward the sound of gunfire and neutralize the shooter as quickly as possible. Their goal is to stop the shooter at all costs; they are to walk past wounded victims, as the aim is to prevent the shooter from killing or wounding more. Dave Cullen has stated: "The active protocol has proved successful at numerous shootings...At Virginia Tech alone, it probably saved dozens of lives." After the massacre, many survivors and relatives of deceased victims filed lawsuits. Under Colorado state law at the time, the maximum a family could receive in a
Columbine High School massacre departing Columbine for their lunch break observed Brown heading down South Pierce Street away from the school. Meanwhile, Harris and Klebold armed themselves, hiding weapons beneath black trench coats with straps and webbing, and carrying backpacks and duffel bags filled with pipe bombs and ammunition. Harris also had his shotgun in one of the bags. Beneath the trench coats, Harris wore a white T-shirt which read "Natural Selection" in black letters, as well as a homemade bandolier; Klebold wore a black T-shirt which read "Wrath" in red letters. They climbed to the top of the outdoor steps which led up