What to do if a Gun is Pulled on you

What to do if a Gun is Pulled on you
If you read any article about being confronted, or getting mugged, they all lean towards the same generic advice. Your best defense is to avoid getting mugged in the first place. Duh. Of course, that’s what you should do, but let’s for a minute think what happens if you’ve not had the foresight and walked right into your offenders’ clutches. We all talk about being situationally aware 100% of the time, but the reality is this is more of an ideal, than what we actually face. You may have had a momentary distraction, from a troubling phone call to something catching your eye in a shop window and like that, you’re face to face with an opponent, intent on taking everything you have. What do you do when they’ve got a gun pointed right at your face?

See if you’re really alone

Most criminals are looking for an easy score, and that doesn’t involve killing their intended targets. They just want to rob you, and get back to their day. Without drawing any unwanted attention on themselves. So, if you’ve let your situational awareness slip and someone has pulled a gun on you, check if you’re really alone. Other people in the nearby vicinity may be enough of a deterrent that you can walk away. Just quietly and calmly tell your opponent there are witnesses, and it doesn’t need to be like this. All we need to do is walk away and you can pretend this all never happened.

Give them what they want

If there’s no one around to help, my advice is to just do what you’re told. You can’t outrun a bullet, and even if you’re in close quarters, trying a fancy move to disarm your opponent is most likely going to wind up with you getting shot. I’ll say that again. Just give the mugger what they want, as most of the time, it’s going to be something easy. Your phone. Your wallet. But try to avoid getting too close, and if you can, toss your belongings over, or slide them on the ground. If they grab you you’re going to find yourself in a lot more trouble.

Stay calm with no sudden movements

You’re going to be frightened, sure, but don’t forget the racing set of emotions going through your opponent. They may be high or using drugs, which can make them overly suspicious, edgy or even panicked. You need to stay calm, and make comforting controlled movements as you follow their instructions. The last thing you want to do is freak out the person with a gun pulled on you, and get a bullet for your thanks. Most armed robberies you will escape without injury, so long as you don’t do anything to further agitate your attacker. Be calm, and slowly give them what they want.

Don’t go somewhere else

Now it’s worth mentioning here that this step is where things get tricky. Criminals know you’ve probably got more cash in your ATM cards than your wallet, and may insist you to head to a nearby ATM and withdraw more. I’d recommend doing it. But I draw the line at going further, like getting into a car or driving to a second location. In this scenario, your chances of being shot and getting dumped in a ditch skyrocket, especially if they’re taking you out of the city and somewhere remote. Talk your way out of it if you can, because you definitely do not want to go somewhere else with your attacker.

Draw your own weapon

If they’re insisting you come with them, you’ve really got little choice but to fight back. This is where having your own concealed carry firearm is a smart idea, as it helps to balance the scales. Of course, the winner is going to be the one who can get the short off first, so I wouldn’t immediately go for your weapon. Wait for the right moment, where you can catch your attacker off guard, perhaps they’ve been distracted by a passing car, or another passerby, and get your weapon out to fire before they know what’s what.

Fight back with all you’ve got

Short of having your own firearm, there are plenty of ways you can disarm an opponent with a gun. They are all incredibly risky, but if you know the situation is going to end with yourself dead in a ditch, you might as well put up a good fight. Distractions here are critical, and use that momentary lapse in their concentration to attack with everything you’ve got, double points if you've got a knuckle duster or some other means of self defense. The first objective is the gun, either slam it down (or up) to change the potential trajectory, doing your best to knock it from their grip. Then attack with speed targeting all the delicate areas, like the groin, eyes and throat, and if possible, get control of the gun once your opponent is out for the count. This is highly dangerous and should only ever be done as a last resort, because there’s every chance they can take a shot before you get close. And that’s a risk you shouldn’t take unless you have no other option. Finally, if you do manage to escape unscathed it’s time to call the cops. Let them know what happened, the description of your attacker (things like their height, eye colors and any distinguishing marks) to help track this criminal down are all worth remembering. Oh, and make sure you cancel your credit cards as fast as possible. And stay with a friend until you can get a locksmith in to change the locks on your home. You never know what crazy ideas your attacker may have when he knows where you live, and has the keys to your home.

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