Surviving a Violent Attack

Despite every effort at prevention, you may still find yourself in a violent situation. Surviving a workplace shooting or an attack with a weapon calls for keeping a cool head, and the best way to keep cool in a dangerous situation is to know how to handle it ahead of time. If you’re faced with someone with a gun, experts in workplace or school violence suggest the following steps and tactics:

• If you hear gunshots, DO NOT go toward them. If you are in an office with a door, LOCK IT and call the police. If you are in an open area, GET MOVING AWAY from the direction of the shots. When you are in a safe area, call the police.

• If someone enters your office or classroom with a gun, get something between you and the gun. Duck behind a desk or partition. Keep an obstacle between you and the attacker, while moving toward the exit if at all possible.

• If you’re out on the street and believe that you’re being followed, get away. Cross the street. Walk as fast as you can toward people and lights. Get to a crowded area or walk up to a house and bang on the door. It’s better to be embarrassed than dead.

• If you are confronted by someone with a gun in an open area – like on the street – shout and run. Most attackers don’t want to shoot you – the gun is an enforcer. If you make a lot of noise and run away, the attacker will usually seek out an easier target.

• If you’re caught in a situation where there is shooting, you have two choices. If you are in an area where there is cover, get under cover. You want something between you and the bullets.

• If there’s no cover, run AWAY from the gun while shouting – but don’t run in a straight line. Most people don’t understand how difficult it is to hit a moving target. Remember that bullets travel in a straight line. By zig-zagging and changing your direction, you’ll make it difficult for your attacker to hit you.

• If an attacker grabs you, don’t try to pull away. Instead, break his grip by pushing INTO his thumb. That’s the weakest part of a grip. A forceful shove against his thumb can make him loosen his grip long enough for you to break free and run.

• If you can’t get away immediately, keep looking for your opportunity to run. Keep your assailant talking if you can. Keep your voice calm and avoid challenging or antagonizing your attacker. The minute you spot an opportunity, RUN as fast as you can to the nearest safe spot.

• No matter what you’ve been told, it’s not easy to knee an attacker in the testicles or to poke his eyes out. If you try either of those and miss, you’ll only succeed in making your assailant angry. Instead, self-defense experts say, rake the side of your foot up the inside of his calf as hard as you can, then stomp on his instep. Be prepared to run the moment he releases you.

• If you see someone with a gun, avoid attracting notice to yourself and get away to call for help. In this case, do not run until you are out of the attacker’s view. The idea is to keep from being seen and becoming a target.

The keys to surviving a violent confrontation that includes a weapon is to get out of the situation as fast as you can. Yell and attract attention. Run away – and keep moving. Find cover and get behind it. Unless you are trained to handle it, do not try to disarm your attacker. Once you get away, don’t stop until you find help.