Tactical Decision Game - Grocery Grab

[JimFloyd]

Copyright 2009 by James M. Floyd, Jr. All rights reserved.

Tactical Decision Games (TDG) are utilized by the military and public safety agencies as a low tech, yet effective, means of experiencing and discussing the practical application of decision making skills to situations.

Below is a TDG I created to stimulate your thinking. To participate, please read the TDG, and then make your decision, based only on the (intentionally limited) information provided, within 10 seconds. Then post a reply stating your decision and your rationale.

The goal of a TDG is not to seek "the only" or "the correct" answer but instead is intended to create a social learning environment, so please do not hesitate to participate.

Here is the scenario:

Grocery Grab

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

PLACE: Outside grocery store

WEATHER: Overcast, 45 degrees Fahrenheit

LIGHTING: Dark with parking lot pole lights

SITUATION: You are a legally armed citizen who, along with your significant other, is walking into the local grocery store. A man carrying a sign saying “hungry, please help” approaches you and asks for money. Suddenly he pulls a knife and grabs your significant other. Several people (civilians) are present at varying distances behind the attacker.


[FONT=&quot]What is your selected course of action? Make a decision within the next 10 seconds.[/FONT]

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Dang , got my wife...I'd draw and move to shoot at a safe angle for the folks in the background and shoot him if I could. If he used her as a shield I'd shoot him in the forehead/ocular region.
Knife in hand and grabbing my wife gives me the green light for action in my opinion.

 

[Bubbajms]

My wife has studied hand-to-hand combat, so she knows EXACTLY what to do. Unless sign man is completely psycho and has already started stabbing or slashing, he'll be on the ground in a submissive position rather quickly.. I'll then yell to others to call for the sheriff while the wife holds the man at bay..

 

[Truckerman79]

Ummm. I'd ask the guy what he wanted, just let my wife go. If he refuses I try to talk to him to get him to let down his guard. I then use the force, using the power of telekinesis which forces the knife out of the bad guy's hand and into mine. In fear, the bad guy runs away. I then throw the knife into the back of his neck, severing his cervical spine rendereing him impotent.

 

[RogerB]

Hmm I'd ask someone to contact "signman's" next of kin....he's never met my wife....

 

[Rookie]

Knowing that this is a situation that I would never want to be in, I think it's more important to figure out how to avoid it. In most situations, I will use a different exit to avoid this. If it can't be avoided, the person would literally have to go through me first because I am in between the person and my significant other.

Anyway, I would draw and hope he realizes that he has made a mistake in thinking we were sheep. Or, "shoot the hostage".

 

[jeremy]

I would do exactly like my wife expects. Kill the bastard where he stands.

 

[pinshootrs]

tell him to take the groceries too, because she eats alot.

 

[jdhaines]

damn...tough one. Probably keep my gun concealed at first. Try to talk him down, maybe someone could sneak up behind him. Maybe walk forward talking fast and trying to give him my wallet. Soon as I get close, I'd grab the knife hand. Soon as the wifey is away I would try to hold the knife hand, get the gun and shoot point blank upward if possible. Lots of variables.

 

[Joe Williams]

Draw and fire. My wife is aware of this pre-planned response, and will be doing what she can to clear a target for me. I'll take the shot she manages to create.

 

[dburkhead]

I am reminded of the line from "Grace" (an episode of Miami Vice--never watched the show, but that line is form a "favorite gun movie lines thread" on one forum or another): "Maybe . . . you . . . won't . . . even . . . twitch."

In any case, I practice with "hostage" targets and can consistently make head shots with my 1911 at 50 feet at the range. While the stress of an actual emergency will make the shot more difficult, in the described scenario the range is a lot closer than 50 feet too.

Drop down to a low crouch so I'm aiming upwards (to miss anyone behind him in the case of a miss or overpenetration) and take him down. I might, depending on my "read" of the situation, give him one chance to drop his weapon and release my wife. Or I might not. As I said, it depends on my read of the situation.

 

[mikea46996]

Take my Wife.... Please..

No just kidding not married. But if he grabbed my GF today then I could go to the 1500 tomorrow. I have been grounded.

 

[Revelations]

I would like to think it wouldnt have gotten that far as I have a tendancy to put myself between an unknown person and my significant other. Its almost a muscle memory kind of thing, just always happens.

Since I keep my wallet on the opposite side pocket from my carry gun I would reach for it and offer it to the man. Hoping to distract him from the fact that my other hand has unholstered my firearm and concealing it behind my back.

At this point it all depends on what he does.

Lots of variables

 

[warriorbob]

pull my hand gun and at the same time my wallet and offer him the option to either let my wife go and take my wallet or he'll leave me no choice but to engage him... Also id inform him i hold an expert pistol badge

 

[Rookie]

What's an expert pistol badge?

 

[Mr.JAG]

In what position is the knife relative to the wife's body?

Am I within an arms reach of knife wielding hand?

What size/type is the blade? (Don't tell me that doesn't matter... I've had bums downtown threaten me a butter knife. It was *almost* laughable.)

 

[FWShooter]

Talk to him and try to determine what he wants.

If it is just money I will hand him the wallet because at the end of the day 60 bucks is not worth the hassle and furstration that will come out of pulling a gun and escalating a situation that could have been calmly handled. Plus more than likely the bum has no intention of killing her and by me pulling a weapon I now put him in a situation where he may feel he has no way out.

The other thing is press and hold 1 on my cell phone to dial 911.

To me pulling a weapon out is a last resort option not a first option.

 

[HighStrung]

First, in order to take away the bg's barganing ability, shoot the hostage. Then I'm clear to engage the target. I'm pretty sure this came from a movie.

More seriously, I would keep my weapon concealed and briefly attempt to diffuse the situation by meeting his demands. Most of this depends on how he's handling the situation (is he simply standing there with her arm and a knife down by his side, is he waving the knife at me while holding her, has he got it at her throat, etc). If the situation didn't diffuse itself in a timely manner, I would then reveal my weapon while giving the bg a few short seconds to change his course of actions before my actions solve any questions that he may have had about my seriousness in protecting my family. My wife understands (due to preplanning) my intentions and I will terminate the threat as her actions allow.

 

[eldirector]

Attempt to talk him down and negotiate her release (give him what he wants). He can take her purse and take my wallet, and make a run for it. If he tries to escalate, make it VERY clear that if he harms my wife, he will not walk away. (legalities go out the window for me). If she is released, he only has to worry about the cops.

I have a feeling my wife will do one of two things: A) kick his butt herself, or B) feint, giving me a clear shot.

 

[ElsiePeaRN]

SITUATION: You are a legally armed citizen who, along with your significant other, is walking into the local grocery store. A man carrying a sign saying “hungry, please help” approaches you and asks for money. Suddenly he pulls a knife and grabs your significant other. Several people (civilians) are present at varying distances behind the attacker[FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

Depending upon his demeanor, the knife, how he is holding my husband, what demands or threats he is making, and other unstated variables, my response would be different.

My immediate reaction is to assess the situation for the above variables and try to get a read on his intentions and the surroundings.

If he is calm and demanding money, I would draw my wallet instead of my pistol and hold it out for him instructing him to let my husband go and take my wallet.

If he appeared irrational, made specific threats, and was in a position to harm my husband, I would probably pull my gun, call for a bystander to dial 911, step to an angle that minimizes the danger to bystanders or my husband, and give him a chance to reconsider his actions.

What happens next depends upon his response. I could either let him run away if he let my husband go, shoot him if he showed signs of actually harming my husband, or offer him my wallet as an alternative if he appeared undecided as to what to do next.