Don’t Be the Victim of a Deadly Encounter: Prepare NOW!
I don’t want this article to be all about doom and gloom, but if you turn the news on, you’ll be flooded with people being attacked, shot, stabbed, robbed, etc. There are no laws that can be put in place to stop these types of things from happening. Criminals don’t follow the law. What you need to do is understand how to survive a deadly encounter and don’t be a victim.
First and foremost, I want to mention that I’m not law enforcement or ex-military, I’m not a lawyer giving out legal advice on how to survive a deadly encounter and the laws that surround deadly use of force, and I don’t promote the use of violence or deadly force unless it’s your only means of escape and your life is on the line. What I am, is a concerned citizen who extensively studies and researches self-defense, firearms, and tactics and is looking to put out quality information that you can use in your everyday lives.
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With that all being said, there are a few things you need to understand about a deadly encounter and things you can do so that you don’t be the victim in the situation.
Table of contents
Deadly Encounter Statistics
No one ever thinks they’ll be a victim of a deadly encounter. Unfortunately, these situations happen more than what the news is able to show.
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What exactly is a deadly encounter or a violent crime defined as? They’re defined as offenses which involve force or the threat of force.
According to Statista.com, they published statistics that were last updated in late 2021 that showed the following:
- Total Number of Violent Crimes in the US: 1.3 million
- Violent Crime Rate in the US (Per 100,000 Inhabitants): 398.5
The FBI published some statistics a few years ago that looked at how prevalent crimes are in the United States and found:
- A violent crime occurred every 24.6 seconds
- One murder occurred every 30.5 minutes
- One rape occurred every 3.9 minutes
- One robbery occurred every 1.7 minutes
- One aggravated assault occurred every 39 seconds
- One burglary occurred every 22.6 seconds
- One larceny-theft occurred every 5.7 seconds
- One motor vehicle theft occurred every 40.9 seconds
Exposing all these statistics aren’t meant to cause you to live every second of your life in fear, but rather, open your eyes to what’s going on, so you don’t be the victim in any of these situations.
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A deadly encounter can happen at any moment, and what you need to realize is that criminals look for soft targets — someone they know they can overpower and control to take or do whatever they want to.
Who are common targets?
- Women
- The Elderly
- Kids
- Those with their face in their phone
- Those who walk with their head down
- Those who aren’t paying attention to their surroundings
- Those who walk around with something of value in plain sight
The above is just the tip of the iceberg. The key to avoiding a deadly encounter is to prevent it in the first place. Always keep your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings. Make eye contact with people who seem like something is a little “off” about them to ensure they know you see them. Don’t pay more attention to your phone than your surroundings.
If you find yourself in the middle of a situation, find a way out, so you don’t be the victim. This can be something as simple as complying. If they want your wallet, give it to them. If they want your phone, give it to them.
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Should you choose to defend yourself, there are many factors you need to consider. Is deadly force legally justified in this situation where you can draw a firearm? Can you deploy a knife or pepper spray? Do you need to go hands-on and create separation so that you don’t be the victim and can run away to call for help?
Use your voice and yell things like, “STOP,” “HELP,” or “Get away from me!” You need to know your state and local laws to ensure you don’t get painted as the aggressor in a deadly encounter.
Don’t Be the Victim: How You Can You Prepare NOW
There are many things you can do to help increase your chances of surviving a deadly encounter so that you don’t be the victim. Some things to consider doing include (some of the below have links to understand what I’m referring to and where you can purchase the items):
- Take self-defense classes
- Take firearms classes
- Carry a defensive audible alarm
- Carry pepper spray
- Carry a tactical pen
- Carry a stun gun (check your local laws for legality)
- Carry a tactical flashlight
- Carry a knife (check your local laws for legality)
- Carry a concealed firearm if you have a CCW/CCL (check your local laws for legality)
- Carry a tourniquet
Being a gear junkie, if you want more ideas of things that you can carry on your person (other than a firearm) or if you want specific options that I recommend from the list of items above, feel free to contact me, and I’d be more than happy to provide you with some options that I personally use or recommend.
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If you’re looking for training, check out the companies below:
- Tremis Dynamics
- Armed Dynamics
- Sheepdog Response
- Tactical Response
- Sentinel Concepts
- ShivWorks
- Tactical Hyve
- Warrior Poet Society
You Are Your First Line of Defense in a Deadly Encounter
When was the last time you actually thought about your personal safety? Many people go through life with the mindset, “It’ll never happen to me.” And I think we should all hope that it never does. But looking at the statistics listed throughout this article, something can happen at any moment and without it being announced to the world — causing you to be face-to-face with the issue or aggressor instantly.
Don’t think that you’ll quickly call 911 and help will be there in the blink of an eye or that you’ll throw up the Bat-Signal, and all of a sudden, Batman will swoop in and save you. According to Safer Watch App, the reality is that the average response time for law enforcement is 11 minutes. That can feel like an eternity if you’re faced with a deadly encounter. Do you think the criminal or aggressor is going to wait 11 minutes to do you harm if that’s what they’re out to do? No, they’re not.
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So, you are your first line of defense, which is why mentioned above are some things you should do and carry to help get you out of a situation, so you don’t be the victim. You want every advantage you can get to survive a deadly encounter. If you think a criminal is going to play fair and by the rules and laws, you’re mistaken. Which is also why you should focus on your tactical training workouts.
If you find yourself in such a situation, either comply if it’s something you can part with (wallet, purse, car, etc.), or be ready to fight dirty and use everything at your disposal to survive and get away.
But more than anything, be aware of your surroundings. Situational awareness can prevent many of the circumstances mentioned above from taking place. Avoid things where conflict could arise or what could put you in a compromised position.
At night, park where your car is well-lit. Don’t have your head buried in your phone walking down the street. If someone seems a little sketchy, cross the street rather than walking directly past them. Do whatever you must to avoid a deadly encounter so that you don’t be the victim and can go home to your family and loved ones.
And when it comes to your home, understand how to defend your home and family while also understanding the Castle Doctrine.
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Disclaimer: While this article talks about “don’t be the victim of a deadly encounter,” I want to reiterate that I’m not a firearm or self-defense instructor, I’m not a door-kicking ninja that walks around in NVG and Multicam from head to toe. I’m an ordinary civilian who loves to study everything surrounding the topic and talk about this stuff with other like-minded individuals.
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