London Attacks

[coldel]

I think all that gear gives you a better chance, but when up against a guy willing to die and in a blood crazed frenzy even if you hit him he is likely to keep coming - all it takes is a slash on your leg/face/neck/arm and hit an artery and you are pretty much dead.

[Paul K]

When i was practising martial arts (if you take the knife thing out of the frame for a moment)...we were taught the following

 

Block, counter, RUN!!!

[Jay84]

Running I can do...well not yet, did the Derby half marathon sunday so I'm still recovering

[Zeezeebaba]

Distance is safety. Unless your weapon (no pun intended) is twice the length of theirs then get the hell out of there. Chairs are pretty good for knife attacks in deflecting but again the chances are you will still get cut somewhere.

In this case they were wearing what "looked like" explosive vests, totally different scenario again and running for cover is the sane option.

I have with a previous employer been threatened with a knife twice and shot at twice, by the grace of good fortune I got away without a scratch.

 

The first time I was in danger from a knife attack happened because the guy concerned had not taken his schizophrenia medication. His parents had been to a west end show and had returned home to find the house in darkness. Their son had removed all the light bulbs in the house. He had then hidden in the cupboard under the stairs where the circuit board was. His parents returned home and his father opened the cupboard to see if the board had tripped out. His son who was only 19 jumped out and stabbed him in the shoulder.

The boy then ran off to another part of the house and his folks escaped outside where they called us.

Me and my old mate Justin were the first car to arrive shortly before the ambulance.

We waited for the dog man and another unit before entering the house.

The lad was sitting at the kitchen table with an assortment of kitchen knives laid out in front of him. He had been cutting his own arms up and there was claret everywhere!

We went in enmasse using two three quarter length riot shields and asps.

The lad was taken to hospital in restraints, about an hour or so after he had been administered his medication he communicated in a normal fashion as if nothing had happened!

He was detained in place of safety and we then took him to a facility called Brookwood for assessment where he remained for a considerable time. His dad's wounds were superficial luckily and he didn't press charges.

 

The second time I was solo on foot late afternoon alongside a sports centre in Farnham. The building had recesses and as I went past one a chap was on the floor belt round his upper arm just about to inject. He saw me jumped up and pulled a small blade from his pocket and made threats. I firstly shouted our distress code of red one on the radio and my location then attempted dialogue with the guy. I said I would overlook what I had seen and would walk the opposite direction allowing him to go. Hand poised on my asp he decided the better option was as suggested to run the opposite way.

By the time he had reached the end of the building the other lads had arrived and the guy realised he was outnumbered and threw in the towel.

[Ekona]

Bloody hell, not fun mate.

[Zeezeebaba]

It's fair to say I was bricking it on both occasions

 

The first firearm incident involved a call from the neighbour of a gent who had seen the guy next door walking about his garden with a shotgun.

The area in question was a very well to do part of the area and the houses were large.

The caller knew his neighbour well and had told the call handler he had not seen his neighbours wife for a few days and was concerned about him walking around his property with a firearm. He knew he owned several firearms and one of our local beat officers had recently visited and checked the guys storage cabinet with all being in order. The guy was a well respected local who had participated in local events for years and wasn't considered a threat.

I arrived in my little Escort and was confronted with a big five bar wooden gate with a sign warning me to beware of the dog. The drive was about 200 yards long with foliage on either side, I opened the gate and waited for our FST to arrive.

There was no way I was going in solo!

After sitting there eyes peeled for what seemed like 30 seconds the guy appeared from about 150 yards away to my right.

In almost slow motion he levelled the weapon at me, and fired!

The windscreen instantly peppered and crazed but never went through. I absolutely bricked it ducked down and threw it in reverse using my offside mirror only.

Once about 500 yards away I checked and the guy wasn't about. Again shouting down the radio for assistance.

The FST arrived within seconds it seemed and barrelled in to the property. The guy was detained accordingly. Two things of note here, firstly I was lucky it was a shotgun at distance as the shot spreads out a loses velocity quickly hence a peppered but not broken screen (although he did break my little blue light to bits). Secondly the gents missus a young pretty thing had been having an affair and this had sent him into a suicidal train of thought. It was discovered he was attempting to jerry rig his own suicide but I turned up and spoiled the party.

His young wife had left the property several days before and was located safe and well.

My governor turned up just after and told me to take the rest of the shift off!

I was so pumped with adrenaline I felt sick! Bloody awful day at work that was!

 

 

 

[Jay84]

That is shocking. Glad it was a reasonably good turn out for you and the pretty young thing.

[Ekona]

Pics of the pretty young thing or GTFO

[docwra]

Murder on any level should never be tolerated and it should never become un-noteworthy. I'm not sure I'd want to be around when it is just accepted and unworthy of emotion

 

You know there was a suicide bomb attack in Kabul on 03/06? Or another one in the same place on 30/05 that killed at least 90 people? The week before that 56 protesters were killed by the government in Venezuela and I dont think that even got reported on UK TV news.

 

Unfortunately its a fact of life that there will be mad murdering bastards out there. Sure, we should do all we can to prevent them but we shouldnt be looking to blame someone when it happens, realistically its a fact of life so even getting worked up over it is a waste of energy.

 

When youre dealing with a group that doesnt actually have any realistic end game theres no chance of negotiation either - you either turn the entire population against men with beards that read the Koran (unacceptable IMO) or you accept that a few terrorists are going to do what they do.

[colesl4w]

It's fair to say I was bricking it on both occasions

 

Brilliant stories!

[GMballistic]

I think some of you need to watch or should maybe watch "Active Self Protection".

ASP and John have over 360K subscribers on Youtube and will teach you real life skills, attitudes & awareness that could potentially save your life.

Youtube link here: https://www.youtube....Wh84mw/featured

Website here: https://activeselfpr...063934326171875

 

It shows real life scenarios including attacks, robberies and more which they use to teach you about how you may help yourself or others in the same moments. It will teach you about what's called the 5 D's to use when in deadly encounters (Deflect, dominate, distract, disarm, disable) and a lot more.

 

Your best defence though as some have already touched on is to get distance and get away from the fight but there will be times when that's not possible or loved ones are in danger so that's when you need the attitude, skills & plan (ASP).

[Aashenfox]

I've been threatened with a knife twice!

 

First time, 16 years old in guildford station wheeling my Haro bmx, my pride and joy, a colored dude comes up to me, shows me a knife and says 'Give me the bike', I was like, yeh sure, here ya go.

 

Then 4 years later I was threatened with a knife while working as in-store (uniformed) security for an independent security firm. Was patrolling the floor at Woolworths in Farnborough, and turned into the CD aisle to find this guy wearing military gear (bought, not issued) taking the magnetic strips off the CDs with a stanley blade and putting them in his bag, about 2 metres in front of me. He looks me right in the eye, didn't even flinch, pulls out a commando knife from his pocket, the classic shape from the cover of the old comic books, I'll never forget how it looked, brandishes it at me, makes a slow stabbing motion in my general direction, then puts it back in his pocket and carries on what he was doing, didn't even wait for my reaction. I just walked backwards slowly until I was out of sight, then called the popo.

 

As said, preservation first, leave heroism to the heroes (those who choose to face it professionally day in day out, thanks Zee, our other services and our military).

[Zeezeebaba]

I've been threatened with a knife twice!

 

First time, 16 years old in guildford station wheeling my Haro bmx, my pride and joy, a colored dude comes up to me, shows me a knife and says 'Give me the bike', I was like, yeh sure, here ya go.

 

Then 4 years later I was threatened with a knife while working as in-store (uniformed) security for an independent security firm. Was patrolling the floor at Woolworths in Farnborough, and turned into the CD aisle to find this guy wearing military gear (bought, not issued) taking the magnetic strips off the CDs with a stanley blade and putting them in his bag, about 2 metres in front of me. He looks me right in the eye, didn't even flinch, pulls out a commando knife from his pocket, the classic shape from the cover of the old comic books, I'll never forget how it looked, brandishes it at me, makes a slow stabbing motion in my general direction, then puts it back in his pocket and carries on what he was doing, didn't even wait for my reaction. I just walked backwards slowly until I was out of sight, then called the popo.

 

As said, preservation first, leave heroism to the heroes (those who choose to face it professionally day in day out, thanks Zee, our other services and our military).

 

Guildford? My home town maybe we've met

I did some of my probation modules at Mounte Brown HQ. I left the job many years ago and went into the private security sector. I failed the Surrey fire and rescue physical at Wray Park so went for the police instead. Most of my colleagues were ex military, many had served in Ireland and saw service during the Falklands and to be fair had much bigger balls than I did. Top blokes and women every last one of them and I entrusted my life to them on a daily basis, not once did they let me down, not once.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Zeezeebaba

[Aashenfox]

I was going to Surrey College for a short time, a tiny little crammer college. I lived in Molesey, Surbiton and Kingston in those years (and Camberley area when I was working security, I've moved around the south a lot), I wouldn't be surprised if you knew a few of my old mates

Edited June 6, 2017 by Aashenfox

[Zeezeebaba]

I was going to Surrey College for a short time, a tiny little crammer college. I lived in Molesey, Surbiton and Kingston in those years, I wouldn't be surprised if you knew a few of my old mates

 

Haha I doubt it mate I started out at Farnham then the Frensham rural office followed by Haslemere. Back then I think the Met had Kingston, I don't recall ever going there aside from when I was on area traffic duties A3 and M25. Would have been circa 1995

[Jay84]

An ex of mine went to Farnham Uni doing journalism.

[Aashenfox]

Yep, 1995 is about right for all of this. Kingston was serious business back then, couple of yardies making a lot of trouble, stabbing guys and one guy got his ears cut off I remember. Ah happy hunting grounds.

 

Yes, we always had the met if we got in trouble in Kingston, cos it's borough of Richmond I think. Esher, Walton, Molesey, it was the Surrey force for Elmbridge (right?)

[gsexr]

I think you need to consider these guys are going out to kill people and be killed. They are not expecting to go home unlike us.

So, to take them on and stop them you will have to kill them unless you can disarm them first and then you may be in a fair bit of trouble for using more than reasonable force to defend yourself.

That`s the rest of your life messed up.

 

Everyone says carry on to not let them win

I think everyone should do the opposite. Stop going places and spending money. Once the coin stops then the government might actually look at solving the problem rather than just trying to contain it.

 

Our foreign policies and deals with countries like Saudi certainly don`t help the situation.

Edited June 6, 2017 by gsexr

[Exec]

I've been threatened with a knife twice!

 

First time, 16 years old in guildford station wheeling my Haro bmx, my pride and joy, a colored dude comes up to me, shows me a knife and says 'Give me the bike', I was like, yeh sure, here ya go.

 

Then 4 years later I was threatened with a knife while working as in-store (uniformed) security for an independent security firm. Was patrolling the floor at Woolworths in Farnborough, and turned into the CD aisle to find this guy wearing military gear (bought, not issued) taking the magnetic strips off the CDs with a stanley blade and putting them in his bag, about 2 metres in front of me. He looks me right in the eye, didn't even flinch, pulls out a commando knife from his pocket, the classic shape from the cover of the old comic books, I'll never forget how it looked, brandishes it at me, makes a slow stabbing motion in my general direction, then puts it back in his pocket and carries on what he was doing, didn't even wait for my reaction. I just walked backwards slowly until I was out of sight, then called the popo.

 

As said, preservation first, leave heroism to the heroes (those who choose to face it professionally day in day out, thanks Zee, our other services and our military).

 

Wasn't Crocodile Dundee was it?

 

I would have done the same. Infact I would have asked if he would like assistance taking the tags off.

[Zeezeebaba]

Yep, 1995 is about right for all of this. Kingston was serious business back then, couple of yardies making a lot of trouble, stabbing guys and one guy got his ears cut off I remember. Ah happy hunting grounds.

 

Yes, we always had the met if we got in trouble in Kingston, cos it's borough of Richmond I think. Esher, Walton, Molesey, it was the Surrey force for Elmbridge (right?)

 

I know after I left Surrey re-aquired some Met districts. I was a Western division officer in the main covering everything west of Guildford to the Hampshire and Sussex border to the south.

[Aashenfox]

I've been threatened with a knife twice!

 

First time, 16 years old in guildford station wheeling my Haro bmx, my pride and joy, a colored dude comes up to me, shows me a knife and says 'Give me the bike', I was like, yeh sure, here ya go.

 

Then 4 years later I was threatened with a knife while working as in-store (uniformed) security for an independent security firm. Was patrolling the floor at Woolworths in Farnborough, and turned into the CD aisle to find this guy wearing military gear (bought, not issued) taking the magnetic strips off the CDs with a stanley blade and putting them in his bag, about 2 metres in front of me. He looks me right in the eye, didn't even flinch, pulls out a commando knife from his pocket, the classic shape from the cover of the old comic books, I'll never forget how it looked, brandishes it at me, makes a slow stabbing motion in my general direction, then puts it back in his pocket and carries on what he was doing, didn't even wait for my reaction. I just walked backwards slowly until I was out of sight, then called the popo.

 

As said, preservation first, leave heroism to the heroes (those who choose to face it professionally day in day out, thanks Zee, our other services and our military).

 

Wasn't Crocodile Dundee was it?

 

I would have done the same. Infact I would have asked if he would like assistance taking the tags off.

 

He was a ginger skinhead about the same height as me (6'2"), well built, and this is the exact knife he had, down to every detail...I will never forget the image of him pointing it at me, I later owned one the same for no other reason than it had really impressed me (you know, classic air pistol and knife interest which got dropped when I grew up ), very lethal looking thing, to me it looks far more deadly than a big bowie.

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by Aashenfox

[Aashenfox]

Yep, 1995 is about right for all of this. Kingston was serious business back then, couple of yardies making a lot of trouble, stabbing guys and one guy got his ears cut off I remember. Ah happy hunting grounds.

 

Yes, we always had the met if we got in trouble in Kingston, cos it's borough of Richmond I think. Esher, Walton, Molesey, it was the Surrey force for Elmbridge (right?)

 

I know after I left Surrey re-aquired some Met districts. I was a Western division officer in the main covering everything west of Guildford to the Hampshire and Sussex border to the south.

 

Yeh, unlikely our circles would have intersected (I'm going to assume, lucky for me? )

[Jetpilot]

So just watching some news on the attacks, seems most of them were known, again, they also have a former intelligence officer being interviewed. He stated there are 400 known individuals in this country who have come back from fighting with Isis, how is that even possible they are allowed back in this country, whether born here or not!

[davey_83]

Exactly, it'll take a high profile individual incident for government to act proactively

[TT350]

Rather than sit here doubting myself and how I might react in one of these situations, I'd rather be doing something about it.

 

We can adapt to things out of necessity and there's strength in numbers. I'm not talking about going solo toe to toe with a knife wielding maniac. If I or another member of the group could absorb the attackers attention just for a couple of seconds (this is where protective equipment would shine, mostly forearm protection) then someone else can grab him.

 

Maybe I'm talking bollocks and I should shut up and fade to the background like we all do, time and time again and wait for others to take the lead.