Debrief: (ADN News) Father subdues home invader

[JusticeZero]

http://www.adn.com/2011/12/01/2198513/army-lieutenant-charged-in-girdwood.html

Various things to take out of this story.

First up:

It would be about 15 minutes before neighbors arrived to help Laufer restrain Curtin and about 45 minutes until a trooper arrived to arrest the lieutenant...

What's the response time for police in your area in a bad case? Do you have some way to keep a threat subdued that long? Do you have some plan to keep them restrained in such a way that, for instance, leaves you free to do first aid on yourself?

He grabbed (an) ax and went to the unoccupied room, now with shards of glass all over the floor, Laufer said. Laufer cut his feet and said he yelled at Curtin to stay outside.

During chaotic situations, things get broken or knocked over. How prepared are you to deal with these? In CERT we were urged to keep hard-soled shoes covered and under our bed, so that breaking windows would not fill the shoes with glass, and so the shoes would be available directly out of bed without searching around a hazard-filled room. Slip-on would be best for this.

"He said we had to leave, that he was clearing the house, and that this wasn't our house, it was the Muppets' house," Laufer said.

While it may seem obvious to people, the full gravity of the fact that threats are often simply not acting in any rational or comprehensible way doesn't always seem to dawn on people. You simply cannot easily talk down someone who isn't even in the same universe as you are.

"Had I had a gun, I would've killed someone," Laufer said earlier this week, still a little shaken up. "I'd have to live with that for the rest of my life."

Some people like to think that firearms are a miracle cure to incidents. Unfortunately, even if the level of force they provide may be legally justifiable in a situation, and even morally justifiable, it is a level that can be difficult to justify emotionally. This can impair defense, or cause lasting emotional issues afterward.

Any other thoughts on the story and the lessons to be taken away from it?

[tallgeese]

This is an excellent find Justice, and a nice breakdown on things we can learn from it. It's the kind of thing that should get us all evaluating our positions each time something like this hits the news.

First and foremost, I agree with everything you brought up in your points. Everyone should answer each of these. And given that we're all different with different attributes to bring to the table the answer should be different for each of us.

Let me add briefly two your last two points, the first, that negotiation will not be an option if the bad guys is on a different planet than you is totally true. And, despite the common sense of it, often overlooked by a vast number of people. Even martial artist. This is largely due to the fact that we interact daily with reasonable, if sometimes irritating, human beings. And most people have kind of unknowingly decided to live in a civilized society and abide by certain standards. This leaves those who, for whatever reason, outside of this social contract somewhat of an unknown factor for most people who have little experience dealing with them. Everyone needs to accept the fact that there are people who will not listen to reason. One must be prepared to act in these cases and commit to the best course of action you can see without reservation.

Lastly, that emotionally one has to prepare for whatever level of force they are prepared to use. Grossman points out that if we never mentally accept that we might kill someone we will be devastated when we do. Preparing before hand goes (according to reputable research) a great distance to preventing PTSD. This does not mean that it won't occur, just that you can lessen it's effects of avoid it altogether in some cases. I'm a firearms advocate, but if you're not willing to drop the hammer, it's better to not have one at all. If you do have one, I'm also a big advocate of training with it so you'll effectively deploy it.

I would caution that fearing for the health of the home invader might have worked out this time, but won't always. This is a man who is beyond reason and threatening not just you, but your family in your home. To me, he is the invader. He will receive no such quarter. If I fail to win the conflict in my home, what are my wife and kids supposed to do?

So, I'll accept that I may very well kill this guy, in my case I will likely deploy a firearm to meet the threat if given time. I'll use a blade to cut my way to a firearm if the threat has gotten to close to immediately access my weapons. I'll continue to practice to do both and retrieve each from where I sleep and hang out in my home. I'll further take the common sense approach (but often overlooked more than the others for many people) of keeping my doors locked AT ALL TIMES. Even when I'm home. This creates time for me to get to advantageous weapons while a home invader has to force his way in. Too many people leave their doors open while they are home, this just puts you behind the curve should this guy show up while you're in front of the television.

Again, great find and great points to bring out.

[Groinstrike]

lastly, that emotionally one has to prepare for whatever level of force they are prepared to use. Grossman points out that if we never mentally accept that we might kill someone we will be devastated when we do. Preparing before hand goes (according to reputable research) a great distance to preventing PTSD. This does not mean that it won't occur, just that you can lessen it's effects of avoid it altogether in some cases. I'm a firearms advocate, but if you're not willing to drop the hammer, it's better to not have one at all. If you do have one, I'm also a big advocate of training with it so you'll effectively deploy it.

I would caution that fearing for the health of the home invader might have worked out this time, but won't always. This is a man who is beyond reason and threatening not just you, but your family in your home. To me, he is the invader. He will receive no such quarter. If I fail to win the conflict in my home, what are my wife and kids supposed to do?

So, I'll accept that I may very well kill this guy, in my case I will likely deploy a firearm to meet the threat if given time. I'll use a blade to cut my way to a firearm if the threat has gotten to close to immediately access my weapons. I'll continue to practice to do both and retrieve each from where I sleep and hang out in my home. I'll further take the common sense approach (but often overlooked more than the others for many people) of keeping my doors locked AT ALL TIMES. Even when I'm home. This creates time for me to get to advantageous weapons while a home invader has to force his way in. Too many people leave their doors open while they are home, this just puts you behind the curve should this guy show up while you're in front of the television.

Again, great find and great points to bring out.

This is where i believe visualization training is very important. Sitting alone in your dark house/apartment, try to get the hair to stand up on the back of your neck, try to get your heart pounding. Think of a scenerio where you may have to deploy deadly force. Visualize your actions to smallest detail.

This may help you cope if the worst case scenerio should happen, and help you cope should you be victorious.

[Liver Punch]

This is where i believe visualization training is very important. Sitting alone in your dark house/apartment, try to get the hair to stand up on the back of your neck, try to get your heart pounding. Think of a scenerio where you may have to deploy deadly force. Visualize your actions to smallest detail.

This may help you cope if the worst case scenerio should happen, and help you cope should you be victorious.

I advocate paying someone to attack you when you leave your house from time to time. It's a mental toughness builder.

[MaxMarks]

All good points. Also consider the training itself. Just the fact that you're working with and perfecting knowledge that can help you in a self-defense situation goes a long way toward preparing you for the worst. Even if you're practicing in a sanitized environment. It is a lot like practicing for a speech: you may still be nervous in front of the crowd but, because you know that speech cold, you make it through.

[Groinstrike]

All good points. Also consider the training itself. Just the fact that you're working with and perfecting knowledge that can help you in a self-defense situation goes a long way toward preparing you for the worst. Even if you're practicing in a sanitized environment. It is a lot like practicing for a speech: you may still be nervous in front of the crowd but, because you know that speech cold, you make it through.

Good analogy, I also enjoy Liverpunch's pink panther suggestion.

[MasterPain]

All good points. Also consider the training itself. Just the fact that you're working with and perfecting knowledge that can help you in a self-defense situation goes a long way toward preparing you for the worst. Even if you're practicing in a sanitized environment. It is a lot like practicing for a speech: you may still be nervous in front of the crowd but, because you know that speech cold, you make it through.

Also, it's good to see a Kempo Jujutsu guy around here. Welcome to KarateForums.

[MasterPain]

ATTENTION BUJIN CLAN!!!

Check out MaxMarks' website.

[MaxMarks]

GroinStrike/Master Pain,

Thanks for the kindness with my first few stabs and participating in the forums!

[MasterPain]

While we don't worry much about kata, the core of our art is in the 2 person drills. But anyone who quotes Stan Lee and references Back to the Future in a martial arts blog is our kind of people.

I also like the shark bait idea. It's great training and a ton of fun.