Katy Mills Mall hosts multi-agency active-shooter training exercise
Juhi Varma
The city of Katy and Katy Mills held a full-scale, live-action active shooter drill at the Katy Mills Mall, on October 18, 2026. The goal was to practice emergency response in high-stress crisis scenarios. 
The multi-agency exercise ran from about 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and involved the Katy Police Department, Katy Fire Department, ESD 200, Willowfork Fire Department, EMS personnel, mall security, and partners including DPS troopers and surrounding agencies. Organizers stressed that the activity was a planned training scenario only and not in response to any real threat.
“This is a training exercise for us to train for active-shooter response…every year we do this, we get a little bit better at it,” Katy Police Chief Bryon T. Woytek said, adding that the recurring exercises help experienced personnel refine their response while preparing new employees.
Officer Robert Hughes said it was a response to the uptick in violent events.
This year’s exercise included participation from children’s clothing retailer OshKosh B’gosh, making it the first time a store had taken part in the mall’s training, Hughes said. Previous exercises had been conducted in common areas such as the food court or mall entrances. Mall security also participated
Speaking at the start of the exercise as officers prepared outside the mall entrance, Hughes described the setting.
“We’re going to set off a scenario (in OshKosh B’gosh) where a violent situation occurs with multiple casualties, and our officers are going to come in and attempt to stop the violence,” he said. “Once they do that, they’ll start treating the victims. At that point, they’ll contact the fire departments, who will come in to provide advanced treatment because they have more skills and tools, and then move people toward ambulances for transport. We’re not actually taking anyone to a hospital.”
Although neutralizing an attacker is the immediate priority, Woytek said, the response does not end when the threat is stopped. Getting medics and ambulances safely to injured victims is an equally important part of the operation.
Woytek said the department has conducted similar training at Katy Mills for roughly a decade, beginning as an agency-only exercise and later expanding to include more partners. He noted that the same basic principles apply at smaller scales, such as schools or businesses.
Responders must keep access routes clear for emergency vehicles. Police officers also accompany emergency medical crews as they enter, to keep them safe.
Another important aspect of responding to an active-shooter situation is managing the flow of information.
Family members seek updates and media arrive needing a place to work and regular briefings that do not compromise the operation. Katy City Secretary Becky McGrew said she participated to observe that side of the exercise.
“Typically, the police department has its own public information officer, and the chief would be the one who speaks,” McGrew said. “I asked for the training opportunity to observe because during hurricanes and other events, I become the public information officer for the whole city. Seeing how they coordinate and share information helps me when I step into that role. It’s also a chance to address gaps and get better at any role I might have to fill.”
“It’s a lot of teamwork on everybody’s part to make this all work,” Woytek said.
By practicing together in a controlled environment, emergency responders can identify coordination challenges, strengthen communication and improve their ability to provide immediate medical assistance when lives are at stake.
Cutlines:
1. Police, firefighters and emergency responders took part in a full-scale active-shooter training exercise at Katy Mills Mall on Oct. 18.
2. Officer Lewis Landon drew the short straw as the “bad guy” and took a fake bullet to the head for the team.
