The news flashed out of nowhere last week -- a terrorism arrest in Sacramento.  Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with making a false statement involving international terrorism. To be clear, the Justice Department says that although Al-Jayab represented a potential safety threat, there is no indication that he planned any acts of terrorism in the United States. Still, the arrest serves as a jarring reminder of our new normal.

As mass shootings grow more frequent, we are increasingly being told, "If you see something, say something." The hope, of course, being that any one of us could save lives by alerting authorities if something - or someone - doesn't seem right. But how does that work in the private sector? How can the owners of shopping malls, movie theaters, grocery stores, sports venues help prevent these kinds of attacks.

Andrew Grant has served as director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Office at the U.S. State Department under President George W. Bush. He's also held positions within the U.S. intelligence community, the Defense Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. He now lives in Sacramento and joins us here at Capital Public Radio to explain what private sector businesses should do to help prevent terrorist attacks.