On June 12, 2016, an active shooter entered a small nightclub on the outskirts of downtown Orlando. As police intervened, and the shooter barricaded himself with hostages and the Crisis Negotiation team responded. When the suspect called 9-1-1, negotiators were confronted with the fact that it was more than an active shooter event, it was a terror attack. This case study explores the involvement of negotiators who responded, offers a timeline of events from the perspective of the negotiators, provides insight into the thoughts of those on the phone, and critiques the crisis negotiation response to improve for future incidents.

Sgt. Charles Crosby is a 15-year veteran of the Orlando (FL) Police. As an officer, he spent time in the patrol, neighborhood bike, and field training units. He served as an active field trainer for four years and continues to serve as an instructor for intra-agency training of various types, including vehicle operations, fair and impartial policing, and mental health first aid. As a supervisor, he has worked in patrol, the mounted unit, and the criminal investigations division, and is currently the supervisor of the Special Victims Unit.

In addition to his primary assignments, Sgt. Crosby has served on the Crisis Negotiation Team for 11 years and is currently a team leader and training coordinator. He is also an active Intelligence Liaison Officer for the Central Florida Fusion Center, a certified Crisis Intervention Officer, and a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

Sgt. Crosby holds a BA in History and an MS in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. He also earned a certificate in Public Safety Leadership Development. He has completed both the FBI's National Crisis Negotiation Course and the Counter Terrorism Negotiating and Crisis Negotiator Coordinator courses hosted by Police Scotland.