Man Stabbed to Death / Girlfriend Watches
In New York City a man was stabbed to death while his girlfriend watched.
I can’t imagine what a tragedy that would be to endure.
In the video I cover the things the couple did wrong, the warning signs they ignored, and what you could do if you were in their shoes. I’ll do the same here in the article.
Before the Attack
Ignoring warning signs of danger is a recipe for disaster. And that is exactly what this couple did.
They saw a man acting bizarre, he started kicking scooters that were parked on the side of the road and they chose to walk towards him as if everything would be fine.
They didn’t expect a person acting crazy to turn his craziness on them.
Of course the attacker saw them approaching and yelled at them. They kept approaching until the attacker started rushing towards them pumping his arms aggressively.
This whole incident could have been avoided if they just walked the other way… or maybe even if they just stayed where they were.
Take away… don’t go towards danger. I know that sounds like a “duh” but we have been conditioned to “not judge a book by its cover” but the reality is that sometimes you should judge a book by its cover… just make sure you are really good at reading book covers.
The Deescalation or Pre-Fight
Once the attacker had chosen them to be targets you can try to deescalate things but you also need to be preparing yourself to fight.
A couple of critical mistakes were made here:
1st the victim didn’t tell his girlfriend to get back and call 9-1-1. Now there is no way the police would show up on time but she needs to be moving to safety unless she is planning on fighting and then she should be moving to a flanking position.
2nd the victim didn’t keep sufficient space from the attacker. While he did try to push him away he ended up getting punched a couple of times in the face because his hands were down which led him to turn and run away… Leaving his girlfriend alone with the attacker…
Is that the legacy you want as a man? I was the one who ran away and let my wife, girlfriend, mother, child get assaulted… but I was safe.
Next take way… keep space and if you can’t then have your hands up in a ready position. That doesn’t have to mean have your fists up like you are going to fight but have your hands up as you can see me do in the video in a deescalation manner.
Essentially show your palms and do the calm down type of motion.
This also tells any witnesses or cameras that you are not a willing participant so whatever you do will be perceived as self-defense.
The Fight Beginning
Now running can be a good option if you know you can outrun them and you aren’t leaving a loved one behind. Otherwise it is a terrible choice.
It was just bad luck on this guy’s part that he tripped over the bus bench.
We can talk about spacial awareness and knowing your surroundings but this could have happened to anyone.
It would have been far better if he had the opportunity to make space and then draw out his own concealed weapon. A handgun would be best, a knife next, and anything else last.
In New York City where carrying a knife is illegal, and a concealed handgun permit is super hard to get a simple weapon like a tactical pen would have been a feasible option.
On the Ground
It appears the victim fell on his back with his head towards the attacker. The attacker then stabbed downward repeatedly until the victim accumulated sufficient stab wounds to die.
What could you have done in this situation?
First off spin around and quickly put your feet between the 2 of you.
Now kick at whatever is closest. His face, his chest, his groin, or his knees. Your job is to make space and make him hesitate to come in.
If you can get the attacker to back up then there is enough time for a quick get up.
If you have a concealed handgun you can draw it from your back and fire.
If you don’t have a concealed handgun then as soon as you get up you can assume they will rush in with thrusts, stabs, or slashes. Very scary.
Your best bet is to do the “shit > hit > split” maneuver that I teach.
Use a flinch response to block the knife arm with both forearms, then take the closest forearm and smash it right into their throat. This must be done ASAP so they don’t continue striking with the knife. You can block 1 or 2 knife attacks but not multiple.
Hopefully your strike to their throat drops them but just in case shove them away and move back to safety.
From there run, grab your concealed weapon, or look for one.
Conclusion
The news reporter used phrases like “no one saw it coming” but that is only because people have been programmed to “not see it coming.” We have lost our survival instincts. Anyone watching this video can see it coming in hindsight but this man does not get hindsight.
You must prepare your body and your mind for violence before it happens as in many cases there is no 2nd chance.
Tony Blauer says, “experience is something you get shortly after you needed it.”
I hope that watching this video and reading this article provides you with some experience before you need it.
I encourage you to find a reality-based martial arts school that can prepare you to fight against real violence like this.
Go get your reps and become a warrior.
Until next time,
Brian
