When Police Officers Should Shoot To Stop a Person with a Knife – Part 1

People see on the news where a police officer shot a drunk or even sober civilian and killed him or her.  You hear the chants from the riots in the streets “He only had a knife (or broken bottle or other sharp instrument) so the police should not have killed him.  Excessive force!”

Let me share with you some advice:

• If a person is within 21 feet of you, you will not be able to draw your firearm and fire to stop the person before he has stabbed or slashed you at least once; probably multiple times and at that point you will probably be too injured to hold the firearm.
• If a street-smart person is carrying a knife, you can bet that he or she knows how to use it.
• When being approached by a person with a knife or other sharp object, it is advisable (meaning you had better do it) to draw your firearm and aim it at the person before they get closer than 21 feet.  THEN yell “STOP”.
• If the person continues forward they are threatening your life, so you have no choice but to fire your firearm in order to stop the attack.  The person may die, but that is not your goal – your goal is to stop them.
• There is no winner in a knife fight – one person just loses more than the other.
• Either bring a gun to a knife fight or run away as fast as you can.

NOTE: This method of self-protection may not be legal in many states, and I do not have any legal experience.  I just know that a person with a knife can kill or seriously maim or paralyze you for life with a knife.

My dear readers, if you continue reading Part 2 of this article, I warn you in advance that you will see graphic pictures that show what happened to an officer who is an expert in hand-to-hand combat.  The officer, against his better judgment, but probably within the rules of engagement for his department attempted to disarm a person with a knife.

The officer was physically stronger, taller and weighed more than the person threatening him with the knife.  You might figure the officer would get a couple of minor slashes, but this proves otherwise.

And, if you ever hear someone complain about excessive force by police, just show them this.

Continue to Part 2.