Hostage Taking/Shooting on Video

[Hissho]

This is a fascinating video on a hostage taking/shooting that occurred in Florida.

Some lessons here as to how practiced and confident empty hand skills/body skills can become very relevant - and could even make the difference - in a "shooting" situation.

The woman with the purse, Ginger Middleton, has a warrior spirit, just not the technical or physical ability to carry it through.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40674270/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

[Hissho]

This one from Youtube shows more, with the shooter going down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkFMrAMI9SM

[Eric Joyce]

This is a fascinating video on a hostage taking/shooting that occurred in Florida.

Some lessons here as to how practiced and confident empty hand skills/body skills can become very relevant - and could even make the difference - in a "shooting" situation.

The woman with the purse, Ginger Middleton, has a warrior spirit, just not the technical or physical ability to carry it through.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40674270/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts

Hi Kitt,

I have seen this video many times since it's release and have thought about what I would or could do in a situation like this. Since you have some expertise in this topic, regarding the school board members that were at a considerable distance from the shooter, what things could they have done that could have resulted in a different outcome? Also agree on Ginger, she was gutsy to do what she did.

[Hissho]

Eric

I pointed out some things that I would return to in a thread here on E-Budo, though that one is more from the perspective of the armed person:

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44553

Some things I would pull from and expand upon for a situation such as this:

Have a Will AND a Way -Our heroine in this case had the will, she just lacked the ability to pull it off. Hopefully trained martial artists would not have that same dissonance: still we have to recognize that training "intent" or "fighting spirit" is only part of the equation - training physical ability and technical skill are the others.

Stay Aware- even in a school board meeting!- is something that you should always do. It may buy you the time to get out of your chair and run for the exit when the gun comes out. At the very least its harder to hit a moving target. A lot of people are probably "asleep" and then suddenly shocked into immobility when violence or the real fear of a violent threat materializes in front of them when they "aren't ready." I think the rest of the school board was probably in a mental state close to this when the gun came out.


Be knowledgeable with firearms. Seek qualified introductory instruction in firearms handling and shooting. Seek out practical instruction in firearms disarming from those with experience and realistic hand to hand combat training.The basic idea will be to move rapidly off line of the muzzle while controlling and averting the muzzle through a strong grip on the barrel or slide of the weapon.

Knowledge provides confidence and confidence helps manage fear. If you KNOW your hand won't get blown off if you hold a slide when the gun discharges (AVOIDING the muzzle, that is...), if you recognize a malfunction of the weapon, you know you have time to act. If you see slidelock on an empty firearm you know you might catch him on the reload… being wary of a secondary weapon.

Aggressive Action and Improvised Weapons - Even in a case like this with some distance, you may still be in a position to act. Use environmental weapons such as objects that can be used as impact weapons, thrown at the attacker, or used to deflect gunfire. Some companies are making ballistic book bags and briefcases for use in an active shooter situation.

More likely- hot coffee in a mug in front of you, followed by either using the distraction to escape or closing and repeatedly striking to the face with that mug. Follow thrown implements with aggressive attacks with something in your hand - target the head and face with a pen, your cell phone used as a fist load, or perhaps even that tactical folder you have clipped to your pocket. You are at justification for lethal use of force even if he has not fired a round but is just threatening you with a gun.

Recognize the Risk - The risk is always present that one may be shot in attempting to act. Jacob Ryker, the wrestler that stopped Kip Kinkel through tackling him, was shot. He survived. Most people shot with handguns survive.

By no means does taking a round, or even more than one, mean that one is out of the fight, particularly with a handgun. With a shooter armed with a rifle the risk of serious injury is much higher.

I'd point to my article for a broader view, but directly pertaining to this instance, that is a start.

[Hissho]

Interview with a victim at Tuscon. She did not give up, she was able to galvanize herself to act to assist others in controlling the gunman, she grabbed the magazine, and so on.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/41003128#41003128


DON"T GIVE UP and DON'T GIVE IN if this happens when you are there.

Consider what your budo/bujutsu practice means in terms of responding mentally and physically in an emergency. Consider what it means in facing death - not facing death as if its inevitable, but facing death DOWN! If untrained individuals can act, we as budo-trained individuals, even though not "professional," could be in a position to help others in such an event. It may mean the possibility of sacrifice, but in accepting that we can do so much to help end these things and lessen loss of life - very likely including our own, though that cannot be guaranteed.