Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 17, 2026
Preparing Educators to Respond, Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Felony Investigator Provides Active Shooter Training
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
This month, in preparation for the upcoming school year, Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office Felony Investigator Bethany Hayes provided active-shooter response training to school staff at Muskingum University in New Concord.
ALICE—which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate—educates and empowers civilians through an options-based approach, helping them make informed, real-time decisions during an active-shooter situation.
Hayes, a certified ALICE instructor, first introduced the training in Muskingum County more than 15 years ago. Her commitment began when her daughter entered public school and Hayes recognized the importance of equipping school staff with the knowledge and tools needed to respond in the event of an active shooter.
Since then, Hayes has responded to several threats of active violence within our community, including the recent shooting of a baseball player at Muskingum University—the same campus where she most recently provided ALICE training.
Hayes provided attendees with relevant, realistic response options designed to help protect both themselves and their students during an active-shooter threat. Just as importantly, she emphasized that no school or community is immune to violence.
That message carried significant weight when Hayes recognized and shared that she had worked directly with one of the educators in attendance while responding to the recent shooting at Muskingum University.
Following each of the three sessions, Hayes led a brief, hands-on self-defense training, teaching practical techniques tailored to the needs and abilities of those in attendance.
Through preparation, education and empowerment, Hayes continues to help ensure that local educators are better equipped to protect themselves and their students during a crisis. The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office is proud to support this important work and remains committed to helping make our schools and community safer.
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