During this strange and highly politically charged time, our society has seen efforts to defund the police and other endeavors that make law enforcement officers less visible in various communities. We have seen countless cases of the criminal element attacking innocent civilians and armed police officers with impunity, while others stand by to watch or film the violent encounter on their cell phones.
Most of these violent encounters are perpetrated by thugs who may have the unfair advantage of sheer numbers, a violent career criminal, while some offenders are organically or chemically emotional disturbed person or some person. Often the attacker is larger, meaner, or crazier than the average law-abiding citizen who may be simply walking down the street. Their unprovoked attacks are against innocent citizens who are either elderly, female, or people who were ambushed and failed to see the attack until they were a victim of the barrage.
What would you want others to do if either you or a loved one were on the receiving end of the violent encounter? Would you want someone to silently watch and not get involved? Would you want someone to close and lock the doors of their business to prevent the thug from entering their building, but continue their beating unabated? Would you want those who witness the attack to continue going about their everyday business and heap pity on the victim of the violent crime as they walk past the crime scene.
I would venture to guess that you would want someone to stop the violent attack from continuing in whatever way they could.
Whenever these crimes make headlines, I secretly wish I were physically present to be able to intervene on the victim’s behalf. Because of my skills, I have the ability to bring an abrupt stop the violent attack and take the person into custody.
Should you be unfortunate enough to be present as a witness as one of your innocent citizens are the victim of a violent beat down, I would recommend the following course of actions. Before you get involved, determine if the attacker is armed with a deadly weapon. If the attacker is armed makes all the difference with your potential involvement. If your attacker is armed with a deadly weapon, hopefully you are and have your weapon with you that will allow you to take the necessary actions.
If you attacker is not armed with a deadly weapon (handgun or edged weapon) consider the possible alternatives:
#1: If you have the skills:
If you step in to intervene with the intent to stop the violent attack, keep in mind the attacker may turn his or her attention towards you. If you have the physical skills to protect yourself against the violent attack, and know that you are legally justified in the required actions you may need to take, do whatever is necessary to stop the attack and be prepared to defend yourself.
#2: If you don’t have the skills:
If you are inside your vehicle, multi-task by first calling 9-1-1 to alert them to the on-going attack. If your car does not have a system that will allow you to talk through the car’s speakers, put the 9-1-1 Operator on speaker phone as you film the attack from a safe distance. The 9-1-1 operator will need to know that location and severity of the event. Also, provide the physical description of the thug to include clothing as well.
Before you roll your window down and yell at the attacker to stop, make sure you have an avenue of escape. Yell loudly to the attacker the police are on the way. Perhaps the attacker will stop their attack and decide to flee the scene. Do not give chase to the attacker, but ask the 9-1-1 operator to summon an ambulance for the victim if one is required.
If you are not in a vehicle, quickly look around to see if you can get others to join you in your rescue of the innocent person. Once again, multi-task by first calling 9-1-1 to alert them to the on-going attack. Know that once you intervene, the chances of the violent person turning his/her attention on those attempting to rescue the person is highly probable. Hopefully, the people you have asked to help you will not abandon you during the potential physical altercation with the attacker.
If the help you summoned decides to abandon you and you find yourself on your own, be prepared to take defensive measures for yourself. You do not have to fight fair!
Learn how to apply a carotid restraint hold. This is not a “choke hold” it is a hold that restricts blood flow from the aggressor’s heart to their brain which causes the aggressor to be rendered unconscious. You are not bound by any legal restrictions in the same manner that law enforcement might be in some jurisdictions.
Hopefully, you have already located improvised defensive weapons in your environment for use against the attacker and have even armed yourself with that weapon. Items such as a medium size rock, a brick or a piece of metal can be used to strike the attacker to prevent them from overtaking you. If your attacker gets you in a wrestling type of altercation, don’t try to punch or kick the attacker, instead pull them in closely and clinch tight. Use your teeth to bite the attacker. Go for areas of their face or throat. You are not biting to leave teeth marks; you are biting to inflict pain and cause massive blood flow.
The bottom line is that you are not just an innocent by-stander who will either drive or walk by one of your fellow citizens being attacked. You have already decided what actions you will take if you should witness this violent crime and are ready, willing and able to do what is necessary to potentially save their life as well as protecting yourself at the same time.