They executed a plan of action, which involved wrangling the adults and students into the school building. They fired their weapons in the air and on the ground in an effort to maximize panic and submission to their demands. It was incredibly effective. Speed was vital to them and they had planned and done their job well. At first some of the victims thought the original shots being fired was a military drill or police "chasing bandits". One teenage student thought this exact scenario until she saw a "bearded man" yell at her "Why are you standing here? You are all being taken hostage!" A police officer and security guard engaged the attackers with minimal effect. They didn't have much of chance and were quickly cut down. However, it is just possible their actions allowed an amount of potential victims to get away. No matter how small or large that unknown number was it was significant.
