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Tactical
Scenario: 09-2004
By: Skip
Gochenour
It is just after 5:00 PM.
You are in your new Mitsubishi Montero stopped at a traffic signal
facing east in the left lane of a four lane bridge. Traffic behind you is light because you are headed into the
city. Heavy traffic is headed out of
the city. The traffic in a four lane,
one way cross street headed south is stopped & backed up for 2 blocks. Traffic facing you heading on to the bridge
is backed up in both lanes for 2 blocks.
To your left, a 10 year old faded blue Honda in the southbound, right
hand turning lane begins to pull onto the bridge. An immaculately kept new, black Chevy Camero behind the Honda
suddenly accelerates and with squealing tires and roaring engine cuts off the
Honda forcing it into the curb. A white
male, thirtyish, 5’10”, 175 pounds dressed in an expensive Montego leather
jacket, white shirt and tie, dark wool slacks, wearing Bally slip-ons, leaps
from his car and goes to its rear. He
is agitated and shouting, pointing at the occupant of the Honda. He snatches open the door of the Honda and
jerks the lone occupant, a white female, late twenties, 5’3”, 115 pounds,
dressed in a white Ralph Lauren silk blouse, navy blue wool skirt and matching
high heels, from the car. He begins
slapping and punching her. Using your
Samsung cell phone, you call 9-1-1 and begin blowing your horn and flashing
your headlights. He begins pounding on
her back. Her white blouse is instantly
soaked red with blood. He is stabbing
her using a knife with a 4” blade.
You have a Garthwaite “Tactical Elite” .45 ACP carried
strong-side in a Milt Sparks Summer Special holster on a Mitch Rosen belt. On the off- side, you have 2 spare 8 round
Wilson magazines in a Sparks IPD mag pouch.
A Benchmade CQC-7 knife is clipped to your left pants pocket. What would you do?
“Five
O’clock Rush” Response
The traffic in front of you on
the cross street is blocked. The oncoming traffic is also blocked. Traffic to
your right, the west bound 2 lanes of the bridge have little traffic on them,
save for the Honda and the Camero, as entrance into these traffic lanes are
limited to those vehicles coming onto the bridge from the right hand turning
lane on the one way cross road.
At this point in time,
your options are that you can either be a good witness or take some
type of action in order to distract or end the altercation. As all that it
takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing, I would chose to take
some type of action, over and above what is listed within the scenario.
I would continue to speak with
the 911 dispatcher, advising them that the apparent aggressor was stabbing the
apparent victim with what appears to be a 4 inch knife. I would advise the
dispatcher of the vehicle I am driving and my mode of dress. I would then
advise the dispatcher that I am going to drive my vehicle across the west bound
lanes of traffic, closing off the aggressor’s access to other potential
hostages that are present in those vehicles that are stopped in cross street
traffic to his east. Prior to moving, I would roll my window down and would
hopefully remember to release my seat belt. I would situate my
vehicle so that I could use the driver's side door as cover. As I came to a
stop, I would place the vehicle in neutral, draw my handgun, point it at the
aggressor, honk the horn to get his attention, if possible, and address the
aggressor through the open window, loudly stating, so that the 911 dispatcher
and the tape could record me telling him to STOP STABBING THAT WOMAN
OR I WILL SHOOT YOU! If the aggressor refused to stop stabbing the woman,
I would shoot; as such a use of force would be morally and legally justifiable
given the facts known to me at the time of the incident.
If the aggressor complied, but
held the woman as a hostage, he would be contained within the triangle
formed by his vehicle, the Honda and my own. The 911 Dispatcher could hear
me as I spoke with the aggressor to drop his knife and left the woman go, as
she was in need of medical attention.
If the aggressor complied,
dropped his weapon and released the woman, I would direct him to the ground and
could hold him there, at gun point, until the Police arrived to sort the
situation out. Upon the arrival of the Police, I would drop my weapon to
the ground immediately upon being told to do so (though the thought of a
Garthwaite Tactical Elite hitting the asphalt DOES pain me).
If the aggressor complied by
dropping his knife, then jumped back in his vehicle to escape, I would be in an
ideal position to report his actions, his direction of travel and his license
plate number to responding police units.
If the aggressor complied, but
entered his vehicle to retrieve a firearm, I would be in position to either use
my handgun OR place my car in reverse and create distance. The quickest
solution to this "if" would be to use my handgun as it is already in
hand and covering the aggressor.
“Five
O’clock Rush” Response
By: Dr. Jack Feldman, Ph.D.
Here's my take on the scenario. This is clearly a
situation in which lethal force is justified. The question is, "Can I use
such force effectively and with minimal threat to bystanders, and if so,
how?"
1. Say to the 911 operator that a woman is being stabbed at (location) and that
you are armed and are going to intervene. Give a description of yourself, the
assailant and the victim if possible. It may not be possible in the time
available. Put the phone on the passenger seat, left on, to create a record of
your actions.
2. Drive your SUV across the westbound lanes of traffic so
as to block oncoming cars and those who may turn west from the one-way street.
This will position your door facing West, in line with the assailant and
victim. Their cars will act as backstops for bullets if any miss the assailant.
Also, if the bridge crosses a river (rather than, say, a highway) stray rounds
are likely to safely hit the water. From an SUV the angle of fire will be down.
3. Release the
seat belt with the left hand, drawing the gun and aiming out the window,
ordering the assailant to drop the knife. He may, in which case you now have to
secure him and his weapon. Afterward, or if he drives away, render aid to the
victim. (See #6)
4. More than likely he won't comply; if he continues to attack the woman or
attacks you, shoot as many times as it takes to drop him. Staying inside the
car gives you cover and takes much less time than exiting.
5. When the assailant is down, reload, exit the car, and make sure that he is
no longer a threat. Get his knife.
Holster the gun and render aid to the woman. At the very least a makeshift
pressure bandage can be made from a shirt and necktie or belt. I carry a clean
towel and a small roll of duct tape, among other supplies for roadside repairs.
These would make a decent
bandage.
6. If the police have not yet arrived get back on the phone at this point and
describe the condition of the victim and the events, giving your name,
description and other relevant information if you hadn't been able to do so
before. Note that in #3 I haven't said
how to secure the assailant in case he surrenders. I'm not a police officer and
don't have the training or equipment to handle that situation. Personally, I'd
hold him at gunpoint and direct bystanders to aid the woman. If he fled I'd let
him go, getting
his license number for the police.
“Five
O’clock Rush” Response
Once the attack turns into deadly force, I would initiate
the following action against the assailant. I would immediately do a
U-Turn so that I am now facing the same direction that they are. I would
pull my car close, but still in traffic such that it also blocks traffic from
entering the danger zone, thereby protecting me and the other 2 from on-coming
traffic. I would leave my cell phone on and exit the vehicle. Now
the body of my car is between the assailant and me to prevent and slow down any
assault he might initiate in my direction. As I exit the vehicle, I would
quickly scan the inside of the Camaro to make sure that he is alone.
In my mind, the woman and man are perpendicular to me, like the cross of the
letter T, with the man on the left, assaulting the woman. I would challenge one time, then fire till
he stops what he is doing, or he drops. If he stops what he is doing, I
will order him to drop the weapon and have him turn away from me, and walk
backwards till I can then prone him on the ground, feet crossed, arms spread
eagled, palms up cheek on the ground and looking away from me. Since I am
still on line, I would instruct the 911 operator to dispatch EMS and the
police. If the woman was still ambulatory, I would direct her to come
towards me, and away from the assailant.
If the assailant refused to stop, I would shoot him till he no longer assaulted
the woman. I would also command the woman to come to me. I would at no
time approach the assailant. There is no telling what other weapons he
may have on him, hence, I have the woman come to me.
If the woman collapses because of her wounds, I guess that I will have to suck
it up and approach her in order to provide first aid. I would however,
keep away from the knife wielding person and explain to him that it he moves at
all, I will assume that he intends to harm me and shoot him .
I will also scan the traffic area around us for any other threat. I
presume that there is always 1-more. (Plus 1 rule).
I will continue to explain to dispatch what has happened, where we are, how I
am dressed (in order to help identify me as the one who called
complainant). Upon arrival of the police, I will have my weapon holstered
hands-up with my Badge and ID in my left hand, and of course, will comply with
the commands
of the responding officers.