After The Fact

The fight's over.  You've defended yourself well, but it came down to him or you.  Your assailant lies dead on the floor.  Now what?

This is something not often talked about, but it really needs to be.  It's a sad fact, but many people that defend themselves end up in trouble as if they were the attacker.  So here's what to do if you kill someone in self defense (USA):

1. Call 911. "My name is [name] and I was just attacked at [place].  The attacker needs an ambulance.  I have to watch the guy/treat my injuries/get to a safer place, so I'm going to hang up now."  Let them confirm the location if necessary, but get off the phone.  You have another call to make.

2. Call your attorney.  If you don't have the number of one that handles self defense, get one.  It only takes a few minutes to find someone and plug them into your phone.

3. Call your family and tell them you've been in a self defense situation.  Don't give them details.  Tell them not to talk to anyone without your lawyer present and not to consent to any searches.

4. If you used a weapon, secure it before/when the police arrive so you don't get shot by them.  Keep your hands where they can see.  When they first arrive, they will want to secure the area before dealing with what happened.  Tell them your name, that you're the one that called, and where the bad guy is.  Point out any evidence or witnesses and then tell them that you are going to wait for your lawyer before making a statement.

5. Keep shutting up other than the above until your lawyer is advising you.

Luke Brown
www.acwafw.com

Concealment or Cover?

A recent Mythbusters episode on hitmen reminded me of something that would be good for everyone to know.  An active shooter situation is everyone's nightmare.  No matter how good we are at our awesome martial arts skills, someone shooting at us from 30 ft. away trumps anything we have, assuming we're not carrying.

Concealment - The thing you hide behind, but does not stop bullets.

Cover - The thing that stops bullets.

The first thing to understand is that most walls are NOT cover.  If it's not brick or thick metal, assume it'll go through.  Cars can be cover, but just the engine, unless you happen to be behind a police car.  That's just for pistols, by the way.  Rifles are much more powerful.  Behind the car engine should be safe unless you're up against some serious military weaponry.  Brick walls are a maybe.  If there isn't anything super solid nearby, go for layers, and TRY TO BE QUIET.  You're not a target if they don't know you're there.

This, of course, doesn't deal with how you escape that situation, just what you might hide behind if, say, you heard gunshots outside your home or office.

Luke Brown
www.acwafw.com