gas station customer defends himself

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GDownRange

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Earlier this week an off duty police officer in Chicago successfully defended himself from 3 assailants during an armed robbery. Surveillance video is in the link below. It is graphic.

My first thought is how important situational awareness is when doing routine tasks like pumping gas. Armed robberies may be not occur often, but they are a very real possibility.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f6e_1392219642
 
That was an impressive display of self defense. The thug had the drop on him, so he relied on the element of surprise. This would make a pretty good training video.

The good guy wins!
 
Lucky man despite his lack of situational awareness.
Alone, at night, at a gas station, in a sketchy part of town, approached by 3 guys he didnt see until it was too late.
 
This is Strategy, Tactics and Training folks so stay focused on the questions relevant to the defender being assaulted and their defense and stay off the politics and the "one less thug" comments.

This is a situation that could happen to any one of us.

There's an obvious failure of situational awareness, but what could the car owner have done any different? You're busy punching numbers into the pump so you have to focus on that while you do it. How do any of us watch our back in that sort of situation? Perhaps the best approach is avoidance and fill up in daylight? What if that's not possible since there are plenty of people that work nights or you just miss the opportunity?
 
There's definitely something to be said for planning ahead and fueling up in daylight/good neighborhoods, even if you're refilling long before you need to. I realize that some of it can't be avoided, though. My wife and I used to live in a sort of sketchy part of town with the nearest gas station being where the "sort of" part no longer applied.

From that experience, I learned there are some things you can do to help with situational awareness, though as HSO said, there are things you have to do. I generally break my activities up where I'm going back and forth between the car and pump. For instance, I'll swipe my card and then, during the brief time while the computer is working, I'll turn and unscrew the cap. It gives you a chance to look back and forth without looking like a panicked man constantly looking over your shoulder. Having things ready where you don't have to spend time fumbling with your wallet, etc. always helps, if you can - anything that limits the amount of time you're preoccupied.

Honestly, paying inside might be a better option in certain scenarios.
 
I'm amazed how the thugs seem oblivious to him fumbling for his piece with his right hand, which seemed to take several seconds...

The officer does the following to screen his draw...

drops the hose > hands free

steps back > opening up distance

raises hands > I don't want to fight

talks > I wish I could hear what he's saying... but he seems to be diverting their attention.

Turns his body to angle strong side away > screens his draw.

Fumbles around with his left hand in his coat pocket > feigns compliance.

Draws and shoots immediately > seizes initiative and catches them off guard.

Shoots almost point blank to the head > no fiddling around with threats, warning shots, or non-threat-stopping shots.

Notice how the perp. drops instantly....

I suspect the other two were not armed.

If the officer had waited another two seconds, the BG on the right would have rounded the car and seen him drawing.
 
Before dropping it and stepping back, could the gas nozzle have been used to shower the perp with hi-test? This would likely have distracted the perpetrator, allowing retreat to a safer place.
 
The hose trick is likely to trigger a more immediate assault than what he did. Theatrical, but not practical unless you were without a gun.
 
Must be nice to be Chicago PD and be legally allowed to defend yourself. The average citizen of Chicago does not have that option.
 
I am not sure what you guys are seeing but the guy on the right was not circling around.
He was in fact rifling through the guys vehicle and was still doing so when the fatal shot was fired.
I have seen this video from many angles numerous times in the first couple of days since this happened.
The other two guys bolted like lighting at the shot.
In fact the perp standing beside the pump actually fell down right after he bolted.
They just wanted to get the hell away from the dude that sure surprised them.
 
Not sure if I'm correct in what I thought was a defensive move with the weak hand just prior to the shot being fired ....like sweeping away the BG's gun and firing almost simultaneously. Great video to study IMO.....seems by the fella appearing to search his pockets with both hands, the BG was fixed on the left hand while he had the gun ready to draw.
 
Since this is Illinois, the attackers knew/thought the guy had no gun. Likely they were asking for money/wallet or valuable stuff so the guy (who just happened to be a cop or he *wouldn't* have had a gun!!) reaching behind or looking like he was going thru his pockets looking for stuff to give them would not have tipped them off.

Like private snowball already aid, good thing they happened to pick a cop to rob. I wouldn't have had the option except to run.

VooDoo
 
I agree with heeler, the guy on the right side of the vehicle is checking the interior of the car. It also looks like he tries the passenger door, but I'm not certain of that.

SSN Vet's points are all well made and a nice breakdown for our analysis.

At 15 seconds the victim hands something to the gunman who steps forward and takes it and steps back. Right after that you seed the draw, but following the gunman dropping you see what looks like the victim following through with a deflecting maneuver to the left and upward that may have been part of pushing the gunman's weapon up/away. It could also have been part of maintaining balance, but we'll never know unless there's an interview with the victim.
 
I think what he was probably doing (and what I would have tried to do) to screen his draw was verbally telling them he was going to give them his wallet.
 
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