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During the Columbine shooting the police followed their procedures of the day which were to secure the perimeter and wait for tactical officers to arrive, law enforcement were heavily criticized for waiting outside while school kids were being killed inside.
Tactics and training changed all over North America after that, police adopted techniques for dealing with active shooters, which ideally involved teams of 4 officers moving in a diamond formation quickly towards the shooter and neutralizing the threat.
This officer was suspended and has since quite as I understand. We can all armchair quarterback this officers decision. Having been a police officer for 30+ years in a large urban centre I'd like to think back-up officers would be close by, which still means a few minutes in a best case scenario. The officer could have gone in to confront the threat, but ultimately he has to live with his decision. Police train for lots of various situations, and one thing folks have to keep in mind is that even if you are trained and equipped you still have limitations in your abilities. Some officers are much better with tactics than others, some are more experienced and may be more fit and capable.
Just my two cents.
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