ABSTRACT
We are vulnerable to soft target attacks in the United States. The security focus is mainly on major cities and areas that have already been targeted or attacked. This leaves small cities and rural areas less defended, and they are now seeing terror attacks, as bad actors prey on less secure targets. Schools are routinely attacked abroad by the same terror groups threatening us here at home. Tracking with our society as a whole, school violence is on the rise, not only perpetrated with guns but also knives. K–12 is the most vulnerable, due to the age of students. Higher education historically has a poor relationship with law enforcement, which leaves them more vulnerable as they try to handle crime, infiltration by foreign agents, and other issues on their own. Churches are also attacked by terrorists overseas. Violence at places of worship in the US is also on the rise with a variety of actors, intent, and weapons. Finally, hospitals are a routine target in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. We must protect patients, as well as equipment with radiological material that could be used in a dirty bomb. Finally, terrorists routinely steal ambulances to use as bombs, to hide weapons, and to use as shooting platforms in their attacks;we need to better secure them here at home.
