DON’T GET YOURSELF KILLED!
The Hard Truth About Gun Defense Techniques
by
Scot Conway, Ph.D., J.D.

Desmond stood motionless with a gun pointing right at his heart. In front of him was a man he just met, Rick, holding the handgun. There was a moment of absolute silence in the room as everyone watched to see what would happen next. Desmond could hear his heart beating.

Then he exploded into action. He was a sudden blur of motion, deflecting the gun to the outside and moving in with a barrage of strikes and taking the gun in one swift series of techniques. Somewhere in there the trigger was pulled, but the gun wasn’t pointed at Desmond at that moment. The bullet, had there been one, would have missed. The crowd broke out into a combination of applause and more than one half-spoken “wow.”

Normally Desmond didn’t have a problem with the classic “what if someone pulls a gun on you” question. He’d just use a snappy comeback like “I have my martial arts with me all the time. Where’s your gun?” This time someone had a handgun, and Desmond’s reputation as a martial arts expert was on the line. Everyone wanted to see the gun defense techniques. Desmond, never one to let down an audience, eagerly complied.

After removing the magazine and clearing the already empty chamber, Rick had handed the pistol to Desmond to double check. Then Rick asked what kind of attack he wanted. Desmond told him that a normal one handed hold against the chest. That was the technique at which he was best, and Desmond did not disappoint his admirers.

“That was a pretty good technique,” Rick commented, “but I squeezed the trigger during your technique. The bullet wouldn’t have hit you, but it would have hit that woman behind you to your left. You’re safe, but I’m afraid your technique just got her shot.”

While Desmond struggled to find an answer, the woman in the corner understood that had this been a real criminal assault, she was the one who would have paid the price for Desmond’s gun defense technique.

* * *

AUTHORS NOTE: The issues and techniques in this article are not intended to be instructional, only informative. I am not recommending a particular course of action when facing a gunman, nor is this magazine. However, if your martial arts training includes gun defense techniques, the information in this article is offered for your consideration. All choices in self defense are ultimately left to the individual.

Many martial arts have gun defense techniques. A bullet will kill a martial arts master as easily as anyone else, but martial artists are largely unwilling to let the threat go unaddressed. Although gun violence is down, gun defense remains on the forefront of minds of martial artists in the wake of school and church shootings.

“If I were there,” we often ponder, “I’d stop the guy.”

Unfortunately, as in the example with Desmond and Rick, stopping a gunman is not as simple as our training may presume. If we moved to stop the lone shooter in the Texas church, surrounded by teens, Desmond’s technique would have still resulted in a casualty. Someone in the crowd would have taken a bullet while Desmond tried to take the gunman down.

To really prepare for gun defense, we need to understand firearms, shooting, gunmen, and collateral dangers. Then we need techniques that account for the maximum number of variables.

FIREARMS

This is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of the subject of firearms. We will simply divide firearms into a few common categories for purposes of self-defense. When you deal with firearms on a collector, competitor, police or military level, many details become relevant that need not concern us for self defense. However, many of these variables are often overlooked, but each listed below is important.

Handguns - Most gun defenses are designed to deal with handguns, the favorite of most street criminals and civilians interested in personal defense. They are easily hidden. They can be relatively inexpensive. They come in two basic types: revolvers and semi-automatic pistols.

Revolvers have a drum that normally holds six rounds. When you squeeze the trigger, the barrel revolves one chamber as the hammer draws back. The hammer snaps down, and the firing pin hits the back of the round and the gun fires.

Semi-automatic Pistols have a magazine. The magazine can hold just a few rounds, or it can hold 17 or more rounds, depending upon the pistol. If there is a round already in the chamber, you can simply squeeze the trigger to fire the first round. The slide kicks back with the discharge, ejecting the empty shell and chambering the next round.

If you grab a revolver, you can prevent the movement of the barrel or the hammer. If the barrel does not turn, or if the hammer cannot draw back fully, then the revolver will not fire. Also, if you can get an object between the hammer and the round, the round will not fire.

A similar technique with a pistol has less effect. If you grab it on the side, you can jam the ejecting shell so the pistol will no longer fire, but the first round will still fire. While grabbing the hammer can stop the pistol from firing, it will not work on some pistols that have an internal hammer, that is, a hammer that is fully contained within the pistol itself. In that case, one round will still discharge.

Long Firearms - There are two basic categories of long firearms of concern to civilian defense, the rifle and the shotgun. Each has a long barrel. The rifle shoots a round similar to a handgun, and a shotgun typically fires shot, a collection of small pellets that spread quickly. A rifle tends to be a long range weapon, and a shotgun a shorter range weapon. Both can be used in close quarters, however.

Sawed off shotguns are a common modification since it preserves the damage potential while reducing the size, thus allowing it to be hidden. It becomes more of a short range weapon because the shorter barrel causes the shot to spread more quickly, but the close up damage potential is enormous.

Gun defense techniques against rifles and shotguns are much less common. These weapons are more often used from a greater distance than handguns, so many martial artists see a very limited application for rifle or shotgun defense techniques.

Other Firearms - There are many other firearms, including the well known submachine guns of which the “Uzi” is the most commonly known, though the Uzi we see in the movies is actually a Micro-Uzi. Submachine guns and machine pistols have the ability to fire a continuous burst by holding down the trigger. Bursts and single rounds are often possible, but they are not normally used for such purposes. They discharge their rounds in a manner similar to semi-automatic pistols.

Assault rifles are typical military weapons that normally have at least three separate settings, each of which sees common use. The single shot, three round burst and continuous fire settings are all used for different purposes in the military. Some gangs, criminals and collectors have been known to acquire AK-47s, a Russian built assault rifle often smuggled into the United States. A Chinese syndicate was caught in Southern California with a shipment of AK-47 assault rifles allegedly bound for Mexico several years ago. These weapons are available to criminals, but they do not often use them in ordinary criminal acts.

Sniper rifles are highly specialized rifles built and balanced specifically for sniper use. These are not normally available for non-military personnel, and they are almost exclusively used for very long range firing. In any event, even the targets of sniper rifles in military actions have little use for an open hand defense technique designed specifically for such weapons.

These weapons are rarely used in criminal assaults. When you face such a weapon, it is normally in a military situation. While they do exist, they are generally considered so rare that a class of 1,000 students can expect to go their whole civilian lives without ever seeing such a weapon being used in a criminal act. However, assault rifles may be encountered by military or law enforcement personnel in actions against hostile military, paramilitary or criminal groups. In these engagements, the distance between the target and the gunman will normally be too great for an open hand technique to be of any use.

TRIGGER PULLS

Triggers do not have a uniform weight required to discharge the firearm. Some triggers are so hard to pull that the average person would find it difficult to squeeze the trigger. On the other side of the spectrum, hair triggers can be so sensitive that the gun almost seems to go off by itself. What seems like simply putting your finger on the trigger in preparation for firing is enough to discharge one of these weapons. Most are in between, but when you face a criminal gunman, you have no information on his weapon’s trigger pull.

SHOOTING

Firearms are used in a variety of ways. Someone studying firearm defense should have an awareness of these basic firing positions and some common variations to them.

One-Handed Hold - The one-handed hold with a handgun is the most common hold against which gun defense techniques are designed. The gunman simply holds the handgun in one hand, points it at the target and fires. In self defense techniques the gun is often held against the defender, however, most shooters with a minimum of experience know not to block the opening of the barrel since this will damage most firearms and render them useless.

A common variation on the one-handed hold is the sideways one-handed hold. The only thing that makes this hold different is that the gunman is holding his gun sideways, with the grip parallel to the ground. This particular grip can render some disarming techniques more difficult.

Another one-handed hold is the come-along. While a pistol being stuck in the back would be similar to most gun-from-behind defenses, a come-along hold with the pistol in the far hand and the near hand holding the arm is more difficult. In this hold, the gunman would be holding your arm with his near hand, keeping the pistol hidden behind your arm and in front of his own body. This come along keeps him in a strong firing position and keeps his pistol hidden.

A one-handed hold that is much more difficult is the rear-hand hold. In this, the gunman stands with one foot forward, typically his left. His left hand might be holding you, gesturing, or just guarding. The firearm is in the right hand about even with the gunman’s body. This makes getting control of the weapon very difficult.

Isosceles Stance - The isosceles stance is the most commonly taught handgun stance. In this, the shooter faces the target with both feet evenly spaced. The handgun is held in the right hand with the left hand supporting it. The arms are fully extended, but not locked.

This stance allows more stability than a one-handed hold because two hands are supporting the weapon. This stance also allows for maximum rotation, increasing the degrees of angle available in the firing arc. For law enforcement, this stance also leaves the body armor facing the opposing shooter, maximizing the probability of taking any return fire to the vest.

Weaver Stance - In the Weaver stance, the left foot is placed in front of the right with the handgun in an extended right arm. The left arm is bent with the elbow locked down to the body and the left hand supporting the weapon. This stance is favored by many because it has the most stability and it turns the body, making the body a little harder to hit with return fire than the isosceles stance.

This stance has reduced rotation to the left since the shooter needs to step to rotate very far in that direction. Anyone wearing a bullet proof vest and expecting return fire will normally avoid this stance since it turns a vulnerable side toward the other shooter.

Shoulder Brace - Long weapons are typically braced against the right shoulder. The back hand supports the rear of the weapon and the holds the trigger. The front hand supports the weapon somewhere closer to the middle. The left foot is normally in front.

Low Two Handed Hold - At short range and when not intending to immediately shoot someone, long firearms are often carried near the waist. The right hand still holds the trigger, and the left hand still supports the center of the gun. Aiming from this position is usually imprecise.

Variations - Each of the above has many variations. Gunmen can kneel, lie prone, hide behind obstacles, use walls or other supports, or vary the holds and stances in other ways. As in defense against any sort of attack, you want to be prepared for the basics, the common variations, and have clear principles to deal with a range of possibilities. In gun defense situations can easily exceed the parameters of a technique, but if you are prepared, you should be ready for most attacks.

GUNMEN

Criminal gunmen come in two basic categories: those that want to shoot, and those that want to scare. If someone wants to shoot, he will point his gun at someone and squeeze the trigger. If he wants to scare, then he will point his gun and make demands. When you see someone pulling a gun, you do not know which type of gunman you face. That, you discover when he does or does not squeeze the trigger.

Also, just because someone starts in the scare category, it does not mean that he won’t shoot. Criminals often find that using a gun to scare people gains compliance. The bank manager will empty the vault. The mugging victim will empty his own pockets. The homeowner will direct the criminal to the most valuable items in the house. Then, not wanting witnesses, the criminal then shoots. This possibility must be recognized, and a defender who chooses the safety of compliance should also be ready for the gunman to change the rules after full compliance.

Gunman, by and large, are an insecure or cowardly lot. This does not mean that they are not dangerous. Often, to feel powerful, they are more than ready to shoot, “proving their worth” by their ability to kill. Also, a coward with a gun can be more dangerous because any movement or sense of threat can cause him to shoot, even if he didn’t mean to shoot. Keep in mind, however, that this generalization, while normally true, is definitely not universally true.

Finally, keep in mind that criminal gunmen are frequently unstable. They often use alcohol or drugs to muster the courage to commit their crime. Some studies indicate that 85% of criminals are under the influence of a chemical substance when they are taken into custody. Other studies put the number even higher. This means that reasoning with them might require some unusual logic, and their moods and intent could change suddenly and without notice. In short, you never know what they’ll do.

COLLATERAL DANGERS

Danger to Others - The most obvious collateral danger was revealed in the Desmond and Rick story. Even a good self-defense technique might be a danger to others.

Discharging Shell - Semi-automatic and automatic weapons have shells that discharge out of the weapon. This can be distracting, or even damaging should the shell discharge near the eyes. This is especially a danger if the shooter is using a sideways one-hand hold since the shell will discharge upward, possibly toward the face.

Hot Shell - When the shell ejects from a semi-automatic or automatic weapon, it is hot. If it hits exposed flesh, it can burn. While the harm might not be significant, the surprise at being burned might be a distraction.

Hot Barrel - The friction of the bullet traveling through the barrel heats the barrel. After several shots, the barrel can get hot enough to burn an ungloved hand. If a technique requires grabbing and holding the gun, then the technique might be stopped by the heat of the weapon. Even a single shot might generate an uncomfortable amount of warmth or just vibration that might cause a reflexive release of the gun despite an excellent self defense technique.

Indirect Damage - If the gun defense technique points the gun straight upwards, it may be a relatively safe technique outside. However, in an area of high rises, the issue of danger to others is a problem. Of immediate concern to the defender is the likelihood of damaging something above you. A direct shot to a ceiling may bring down some of the ceiling. A little ceiling dust in the eyes from a bullet, or chunks of ceiling from a shotgun blast, can get in the eyes of a defender and temporarily blind you. Should the bullet strike something glass, a rain of glass may pose a substantial danger.

Ricochet - A ricochet is a potential danger, though not nearly so much so as a direct shot from most firearms. However, a ricochet can still do damage, potentially lethal damage.

Hearing Loss - If a firearm discharges too close to your ears, you can suffer temporary hearing loss. If the weapon is particularly loud, permanent partial loss of hearing is possible.

Shooting Yourself - This might seem an odd thing to include in collateral dangers of self defense against guns, but some techniques do carry a risk of shooting yourself. Some have used techniques in which the defender hits the gunman in the head with the butt of his own gun. Unfortunately, the barrel is pointed at the defender when that happens, and if the weapon discharges, the defender has shot himself. Some techniques allow the weapon to pass through a position in which the weapon is pointed at the defender, if even for a moment.

PROBLEM TECHNIQUES

Really Bad Techniques - Really bad techniques are those that may get you shot by someone not intending to shoot you. They include techniques with such a low probability of success that they are more likely to anger a gunman than work. Even people who know a little about guns can make really bad gun defense techniques because they make the faulty presumption that all guns work like their guns, and they assume that all shooters shoot like they shoot.

Examples of moves found in really bad techniques are:

Pulls - If you pull the weapon toward you at any time, you can discharge the weapon.

Hammer Intercepts - Some weapons, like internal hammer semi-automatic pistols and long weapons, may not have a hammer where you can reach it. Even when you can reach the hammer, getting something in between the hammer and round is difficult, even if the hammer has already been pulled back. Even if you succeed, it really hurts and may distract you momentarily from your follow-up movements. Finally, even if you succeed and take the pain, a sharp pull backward from the gunman while he squeezes the trigger again can quickly dislodge it if he has not been injured.

Upward Strips - If the technique strips the handgun from the gunman’s grasp by moving it upward, it can easily discharge, especially if it has a light trigger pull. Against a gun pointed to the stomach, stripping the gun directly upward moves the barrel from the stomach, to the heart, the throat, the head and finally beyond a vital target. Needless to say, this is a very dangerous move unless the gun is pointed at your head.

[Author’s Note: While some of these moves may seem so obviously dangerous that we would expect anyone to know not to do them, this author has actually seen each of these movements incorporated into techniques by martial arts instructors.]

Potentially Bad Techniques - Potentially bad techniques are those whose problems are not likely to get you shot by someone not already intending to shoot you, but they pose significant danger to the person doing the technique with variables beyond the control of the defender.

Distraction - If the opening move of a gun defense technique relies on distracting the attention of the gunman without simultaneously moving off the line of fire, the technique could backfire. Remember that many criminals are under the influence, frightened, or otherwise unstable. Any sudden movement or sound might make them fire.

Upward Deflects - If the gun points directly upwards, then ceiling dust, ceiling pieces, falling glass, or other debris may fall on your during the technique.

Moving to the Inside - Many gun defense techniques rely on moving to the inside of the gunman’s grip. While this can be a very good technique against a gunman using a one-handed grip, it cannot be executed properly against any two handed grip. If the technique relies on being on the inside, this movement used against an isosceles stance or a Weaver stance will leave the defender on the outside.

Wrist Manipulation - Many wrist manipulation techniques are excellent for one-handed handgun grips, but they lose some or all of their effectiveness against two handed holds.

Gripping the Gun - If the technique stops the gun from discharging by grabbing the gun, that may work fine for a revolver without the hammer pulled back, but against a semi-automatic pistol with a round in the chamber, or against a revolver with the hammer already pulled back, this technique does little or nothing to stop the first round from discharging. It is also much more difficult when dealing with a very small handgun, like some compact .22 caliber weapons.

Using a Gun Strip - Stripping the gun from your opponents grip that relies on holding the gun may work well if you are dealing with a weapon with a barrel long enough to give you the leverage. Against snub-nosed revolvers and very small pistols, this technique is less effective.

Weapon Dependent Techniques - Gun defense techniques may change based on the weapon being used. If there is one technique against a revolver, another against a revolver with the hammer cocked, another against a semi-automatic, another against a semi-automatic with an internal hammer, etc., then the defender has to have the presence of mind to evaluate the situation and select a technique with the pressure of a firearm pointed at him. Anyone who has ever had a loaded firearm pointed at him can tell you such evaluations and selections are a lot to ask of someone whose life is being threatened.

Shooter Dependent Techniques - If the techniques change much from one-handed to isosceles to weaver shooting, then you have some of the same problems as with weapon dependent techniques. A gun defense technique should work with maximum application and minimum evaluations necessary. You want to be able to move effectively without needing to be aware of very many variables.

Good Techniques with Problems - Good techniques with problems don’t normally pose a particular danger to the defender, but as variables add up, problems can arise.

Sideways Deflection - This is one of the most common opening moves in gun defense techniques. When a firearm is deflected to the side and it discharges, it can harm others.

Weapon Control Techniques - If the first objective of a technique is control of the weapon before damaging the gunman, then it can result in a wrestling match for the weapon. The skilled martial artist should be able to win this exchange so long as the gunman is not significantly more powerful.

Firing Arc During Weapon Control - Even a successful weapon control technique carries the problems associated with a sideways deflection. If the gun points in different directions during a technique, it may discharge in any of those directions. If any of those directions have potential targets, those targets are placed at risk during the technique.

Multiple Head Punches - A series of punches to the head make for a devastating defense technique, but they also endanger the hands. While one or two punches to the head can allow the defender to pick his targets and strike properly, a rapid series does not allow for this. The head will move as a result of previous strikes and a later punch can break the defender’s hand. Also, the pressure of having a gun pointed at you increases the likelihood of a mistake and a therefore a broken hand. This is an immediate problem only if the technique requires grabbing the gun after the barrage of punches to the head.

Weapon Use Techniques - Some techniques rely on using the weapon against the opponent. Executing a wrist manipulation so the weapon points at the gunman and then discharging the weapon may be an effective technique, but you may not be able to reach the trigger or the weapon may not be loaded. Also, that level of force may not be legally justified, especially if you have full control of the shooter when you fire, or if you have disarmed him and then you shoot him.

RESOLVING THE PROBLEMS

No martial arts technique is perfect. There are always variables that can exceed the skill of any martial artist, and gun defense techniques certainly rank among the most dangerous of techniques to apply. Certainly no amount of skill is going to defeat an unseen sniper hidden on a rooftop with a clear shot. Even the best technique in any field must deal with the variable of chance, and in gun defense, that can mean you get shot.

However, good gun defense techniques can account for many variables, and they will include the fewest possible mistakes. They should also include simple moves with as wide a margin for error as reasonably possible while also being effective. Executed properly, then, it should be effective while minimizing danger to self and others.

Change the Line of Fire

Guardian Kempo possesses some very effective gun techniques. They all use nearly the same opening move, a simple, direct, downward deflection combined with a pivot off the original line of fire. A strike is included. Guardian Kempo means “the fighting principles of one who guards and protects,” so a natural part of the philosophy is that self-defense should not result in danger to others. Pushing the gun downward prevents others from being shot in vital areas, even in close quarters.

The gun is pushed down and to the inside. That leaves the defender on the outside. This simple move accomplishes much more. It eliminates the need to know anything about the gun. It could be a revolver, pistol, rifle or shotgun and the same movement will produce the desired result. This simple motion also deals with a one-handed hold, an isosceles stance and even a weaver stance (most effective when done to the off side). Because the intent is to be on the outside of the gun arm, whether the gun was held in one hand or two is not relevant.

The simplicity of the answer also has a wide margin of error. If you push down on the gun, the hand or the wrist, the technique works. If you push down with your palm near the fingers or the forearm near the wrist, the technique works. The margin of error is six to eight inches with a handgun, and more than foot with long guns along the attack side, and four to six inches on the defense side. Absolute precision is not required, so the technique allows for the stress of a fight for your life against an attacker ready to shoot. It allows for the kind of mistakes people make when they try to move when emotions are high.

The firearm should be pushed down far enough so any discharge will leave the bullet somewhere in a ten foot radius of the engagement. On very hard surfaces, ricochet to another potential target remains an issue, but the steep angle limits that possibility as much as possible. If the defender has the presence of mind to take note of potential targets, the weapon should be pointed in a direction away from other people. If others are very close, the round would hit them in the leg, if at all.

Get Off the Line of Fire

At the same time a Guardian Kempo defender moves the gun downward, he pivots off the line of fire. As the hand pushes the gun down and away, the defender pivots. The pivot helps lend power to the push down, but it takes the defender off the line of fire. Thus, there are two simultaneous defenses, moving the gun away from the intended line of fire, and moving off the intended line of fire.

Not only does the defender move off the line of fire, but he moves in so his left shoulder is near the gunman’s right shoulder (presuming a right handed gunman). This move makes it move difficult for the gunman to point and shoot at the defender if the gunman retains control of the weapon. The gunman needs a moment to step back or switch hands. He should not receive that moment.

Strike

To prevent action by the gunman to shoot the defender, a strike should be included. In the Guardian technique, the right palm strikes the face of the gunman. With the left hand pushing down, the body moving in, and the right palm striking the face at the same time, the gunman has almost no time to do anything about his weapon.

The strike is a palm, not a punch because of the risk of doing the move improperly under the level of stress a gun evokes. No matter how the attacker turns his head, a palm strike will cause more harm to the gunman than it will to the defender. A punch under these circumstances is risky, and an odd turn of the gunman’s head can result in a broken hand and little damage to the head.

Strip

There are additional strikes between the initial palm strike to the head and the strip. A move in each Guardian Kempo gun defense is an arm break. This practically eliminates the opponent's grip. The strikes, though, no matter the target, serve to weaken the opponent and shift his mind from holding the gun to the damage being done to his body. This ought to be done in a rapid fire series of strikes before the gun is stripped. This decreases the resistance of the criminal and heightens the control of the defender.

The gun ought to be removed from the control of the criminal. To do this it needs to be stripped from the hand of the gunman. The technique used in the Guardian Kempo defense is a backwards peel. The wrist is rotated palm up, then the front is bent down and the gun peeled out and snapped back toward the attacker. The trick here is to make certain the gun is pointed at either the ground or the shooter at all times. If it discharges, the bullet should hit the ground or the criminal.

Wrist manipulations to remove firearms can be done in other directions, but this one accomplished several goals simultaneously. First, it makes certain no innocents will get shot. Second, it pries the fingers open. Third, it makes it more difficult for the criminal to use his other hand to stop the technique than other directions. Fourth, if the weapon is a semi-automatic, a discharge will send the ejected shell downward and it will not burn the hand. Fifth, it has the collateral effect of damaging the trigger finger, possibly breaking it, rendering the criminal unable to squeeze a trigger with that hand should he reacquire the weapon or grab another firearm.

Once the weapon has been stripped, it should be held in a non-shooting grip. If you cannot fire the weapon the way you're holding it, your fingerprints and the criminals fingerprints will show law enforcement that he was holding the gun on you, not the other way around. It does not take much imagination to consider what would happen if the police arrived and found you unharmed and holding a weapon and at your feet was a seriously injured man. You'd go to jail and he'd go to the hospital. If your fingerprints were the only one's left the police could find, chances are you'd be charged with a crime.

At the conclusion of the technique, either you should have moved away from the attacker, or you should have moved him away from you. In any event, your technique should finish a safe distance away from the criminal in case he gets up and continues his assault. You want to make certain that your control of the range allows you to take action before he could harm you.

ATTACK OR COMPLY

The Guardian Kempo philosophy is that if you have the necessary skills and a criminal pulls a gun on you, don't wait to find out if he plans to shoot you or scare you. If he plans to shoot you, you'll find out because you just took a bullet. If he plans to scare you, he won't expect you to attack. Either way, moving is a good idea. You'll either initiate a defense to an imminent danger, or you'll surprise him. This is a choice ultimately left to the individual.

If the criminal is just out of range, moving on them may still be a good idea if you can close the distance quickly enough. Otherwise, throwing something at the gunman's face can help shift his priority from offense to defense for the moment it takes to move in. The more distance between the defender and the gunman, however, the less practical this approach becomes. As the distance increases, the only practical reason to move in is if the criminal has already started shooting and must be stopped. As move in, you must get off the line of fire.
If the gunman is too far away to engage and there is cover anywhere nearby, hide. The best hiding place will force the gunman to come within reach if he wants to shoot you or allow you to escape completely. You can wait for an opening to close the distance and move in. In the church shooting, the gunman stopped to reload. That would have been an ideal moment to attack. Even with a magazine or speed loader, it takes a few seconds to reload and those seconds can be all someone needs to close the distance and attack.

Another good "hiding place" is a mobile shield such as a light desk, shelf, or chair. You can have cover while moving toward the shooter. It is normally best to hold the shield at an angle to the gunman to reduce the probability of the bullet traveling straight through your shield. An angled shield can stop or deflect a bullet more effectively. While ricochets may still pose a danger to others, circumstances like school shootings may require someone to engage the shooters.

Despite all these combat options, the option of simply complying with the requests of the gunman remains open. If the gun is already out when you see it and the gunman isn't already shooting people, it means he may be intent on scaring people. That buys you time, at least. However, you should never allow a criminal to move you to a second location. If you are in danger of being shot where you are or you could be in danger of being shot where the criminal wants to take you, take the shot at your present site. If a criminal takes you to a secluded location, your options and available help will be reduced to practically nothing. If the criminal wants you somewhere else, chances are that location will be a worse option for you.

If you can deal with a gunman with compliance and you feel certain he will leave when he has what he wants, compliance will likely be your best option. A wallet, purse or watch is hardly worth your life, but be ready to act since a criminal may shoot you anyway. If compliance means letting him harm your family, however, you will have to consider your priorities.

In a situation like a school shooting, running and hiding is the safest option for any given individual. However, such an action will almost certainly increase the total number of casualties. In too many shootings the criminals continue to shoot people until they are done, then they shoot themselves. When the death toll is left to the criminal, it is likely higher than it would be had several nearby and sufficiently skilled fighters attacked. While running is safer for you overall, it is more dangerous to the group if everyone in the group tries to run.

Ultimately, this decision is up to the individual, and the choice should be made beforehand. The priorities should be decided, and the course of action considered. Will you run, fight, shield others, or comply? Under what circumstances do you take one action as opposed to another? When danger arises, whether from gun violence or any other crisis, already knowing what to do can save lives, yours and others.

A MYTH ABOUT BEING SHOT

A common myth about guns is that being shot equals being dead. It does not.

Gunfire victims more frequently survive than die. Check articles on many shootings, and you will find that the number shot and the number dead are different. Even those that die often do not die immediately. Short of a clean shot to the head or a direct shot that pierces the heart, most gunshot wounds are not likely to kill you outright. Also, lower caliber weapons are less likely to kill you than high caliber weapons.

In one of the school shootings, a young man took a shot to the chest from a .22 caliber weapon. After falling back, he immediately got back up and tackled the shooter. His brother joined him, and these two wrestlers ended what may have turned into a much larger tragedy.

Not only can you survive being shot and still fight, you may not even know whether or not you have been hit. In another school shooting, a young girl got shot in the stomach. She didn’t even feel it. It wasn’t until the blood started to seep out from under her jacket that anyone noticed.

You have to condition yourself to keep moving. If you hear the gun go off, don’t slow down. Don’t worry about whether you’ve been hit, or even whether you’re dead or alive. Finish the technique. Even if the shooter has fired a fatal shot, you can still stop him so no one else will be a target.

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