Episode 1005: He Stopped a School Shooter: The Michael Collazo Episode

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Detective Michael Collazo, the Marine infantry veteran and Nashville officer who stopped the Covenant School shooter in March 2023. Mike breaks down the moments leading up to the entry, the rapid decision-making under active gunfire, and how his Marine Corps background kept him calm, focused, and mission-driven in one of the most chaotic environments imaginable.

He discusses the real-world importance of range training, fitness, and continuous education, and how years of conditioning, including intense fitness work while deployed overseas, built the foundation that allowed muscle memory to take over when seconds mattered most. Mike shares how officers can prepare mentally and physically for high-risk encounters, and why repetition and training are the difference between hesitation and decisive action.

Mike also takes time to honor the three children whose lives were tragically lost, Will, Evelyn, and Hallie, and reflects on how their memory continues to motivate him to teach others, lead by example, and help officers be as prepared as possible should they ever face a similar threat.

This is a rare and honest look into the realities of confronting an active shooter, and the preparation, mindset, and purpose behind the man who ran toward the gunfire.