Comic-con was even more lively than usual when one of the attendees took exception to another guy sitting too close to him and took a pen and tried to shove it in the other guys eye. Now don’t get me wrong, as a self-defense technique, I am all for using everyday objects to defend oneself when a gun, knife, pepper spray, etc. isn’t handy, but you should only be doing that when you or a loved one are about to be attacked and there is no other alternative. Though the pen may not, as a weapon, be mightier than the sword, it is easy to conceal and you can be killed with it if they hit you hard in the right place. Did any of you see the movie “Grosse Point Blank?”

This CNN story: http://bit.ly/clSwmD mentions that it was extremely crowded at the event and that people were squeezed together pretty tightly. Something to keep in mind the next time you attend any event where there are a lot of people in a small space. Tempers can get pretty short and you had better be on your guard against those nearby who might be losing their cool and looking for a way to strike out against anyone who happens to be around them. So if you are stuck in a tight spot remember to keep your hands up where they will do some good

On Wednesday afternoon July 7th, after officer Soderberg had gotten off of work in Englewood, a man approached him from behind as he was walking to his car.  The offender struggled with the officer, taking his service weapon and shooting the officer in the neck and chest.  This article discusses the story further: http://bit.ly/97dElO

Soderberg was a veteran police officer and instructor at the Chicago Police Academy.  Spending most of his time preparing young recruits to deal with everything from parking tickets to what to do when a domestic dispute gets out of hand.  He was working outside of that role the day he was shot.  The rest of this commentary will be based on are based on quotes that were found in these articles: http://bit.ly/bNzhWi http://bit.ly/c0D0ZO

Never having been a police officer, I have not attended the training that police recruits go through, but several of my friends became police officers and have said that they train to deal with an assailants attempt to take their weapon.  So what happened in this case?  From the brief descriptions that are available in various news articles, it appears that there was at least one witness to what took place, but until that information becomes available we can only speculate.  We might get a few hints from the statements of Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weiss.

“This is the time of the day where officers breathe a sigh of relief. Their tour is over and now they get to be with their families and their friends,” Weis said. “However because of the incomprehensible acts of a 24-year-old convicted felon, Officer Soderberg did not make it to that volleyball game. Officer Soderberg was killed by this vicious criminal,” Weis said.

Maybe breathing a sigh of relief caused him to lower his guard.  After all, he was right across the street from a Chicago Police facility, heading to a police parking lot.  Who in their right mind is going to attack a police officer in his own backyard?  Who in their right mind indeed, but what about someone who isn’t in their right mind?

When asked if the parking lot where Soderberg was attacked had enough security, Weis said when a person is set on attacking someone to the extent Brewer was, no amount of security can stop them.  He is also quoted as saying “There’s really no level of security you can put up that will prevent a person like that from attacking someone,” he said. “And unfortunately we lost an officer in this case.”

It seems that the only chance officer Soderberg may have had was to immediately get to his gun and shoot this guy, but unfortunately that isn’t what happened.  Maybe he wasn’t the kind of person who could have just pulled his weapon and fired?  Let’s read what those who knew him had to say about him.

“This recruiting class, it’s challenging for them. They were with him all the time. He’s the big brother. He’s the one who keeps them in shape and the one who keeps them in line. He’s the one who pulls them aside when they have a problem and he had that personality,” said Sgt. Sheamus Mannion, Education Training Division.

“Everything I do in this job and from here on out, I will always remember Thor,” Chatham said. “He taught us to be humble even though we are in a great position of power.”

Rachuy encouraged the officers to follow Soderberg’s advice of approaching every situation with “fresh eyes” — a term he used to describe being attentive, open-minded and fair.

He sounds like a giving person, someone who puts others before himself, who tried to see both sides of a situation and reacted thoughtfully.  Could that have been a reason for the terrible result of his life and death struggle?  Did his caring personality delay his reaction to dealing with his assailant more quickly and with deadly force?  Was the unexpectedness of the attack “in ones own backyard” enough to immobilize him for the few seconds it took the assailant to get his hands on the officer’s gun? Maybe it is more along the lines of what Superintendent Weis said.  Maybe when you have someone intent on hurting you in the manner the assailant did, that there just might not be a lot you can do to prevent it, no matter how well trained you happen to be.

So what was the final lesson we learned from Officer Soderberg?  You might find the answer in the words and actions of his former students.

His death translated into a heightened sense of officer safety almost immediately. For the past few days, when it was time to go home, the recruits would wait to pull out of the parking lot together so no one was left behind,

“I’m being more cognizant about where I’m at, where people are around me, where my weapon is,” she said.

“I’m a lot more alert than I was before his death,” she said. “I’m not scared at all. But when it’s somebody that’s near and dear to us, it’s more personal.”

“We may not see it now, but each one of us has changed for the better,” she said. “For, you see, his death was not in vain. The lessons we learned and continue to learn from his life will make us better police officers and better human beings.”

We can only hope so!

Most of the time we think of assailants using a gun or knife or the threat of violence to get us to do things we wouldn’t normally do, but some predators can get us to put ourselves into unsafe situations with just a few words.  They have learned how to use a variety of techniques to get you to lower your guard and you need to be aware of them.

If you haven’t read “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker then you should.  The article below discusses several boundary-lowering techniques that he describes in his book.

Personal safety starts with understanding how problems begin.  In the book The Gift of Fear, violence expert and author Gavin De Becker describes a list of tactics that someone might use to persuade a potential victim to lower his or her boundaries so that they allow themselves to get into an unsafe situation with someone they do not know. He also explains how these tactics might be used in other intrusive situations that can threaten personal safety emotionally or physically.

Use of some of these tactics does not automatically mean that someone is a bad person with bad intentions. In fact, some of these tactics can be very helpful when people are building a relationship. If we never lowered our boundaries with other people, we would have a hard time making friends, doing business, or enjoying social events.

However, you can help yourself stay safe by noticing WHEN these tactics are being used and not letting them stop you from making your own choices. Is this person is trying to get you to do something that you also want? Or are you are being persuaded to lower your boundaries in ways that might not be in the best interests of your own personal safety?

Forced teaming:

Sometimes someone will say and do things to make you feel, “We’re in the same boat,” or, “We’re on the same team.” The purpose is to establish rapport and to put you at ease. Team spirit can be an excellent motivator. Sport teams, political parties, community service organizations, and neighborhoods all work best when people feel a sense of belonging with each other.

However, notice when someone with whom you have not chosen to be connected with talks as if you are together. Remember what your relationship with this person truly is and is not and take charge in order to take care of your own personal safety as needed.

Charm and niceness:

People sometimes project warmth, kindness, sympathy, and humor as a way to get others to open up to them. People like this can be very enjoyable, but they also might be harmful.

When someone is very funny, kind and sweet, think to your self, “This person is trying to charm me. Is being with this person what I want? Am I being charmed into accepting things that are not okay with me? Am I in a safe place if things go wrong?” Sadly, many women who were attacked say afterwards, “But he was so nice to me at first!

Too many details:

When people want to persuade you, they sometimes give a lot more information than necessary. This can be because they really care about what they are saying, but it can also be because they are trying to distract you or confuse you into believing their story.

It can be hard for honest people to remember that sometimes other people will make up convincing details to get you to trust them instead being truthful. Instead of getting too involved in what someone is saying, stay focused on your actual situation. Ask yourself questions like, “How well do I know this person? Is this person’s behavior suddenly different in an uncomfortable way? Is he or she respecting my wishes?”

Typecasting:

Understandably, most people don’t like to be labeled as being uncaring, unkind, thoughtless, paranoid, unfair, misusing their power, or ignorant. Someone might deliberately use negative labels to get you to react in the opposite direction.

Watch out for comments like, “You don’t care, do you?” Or, “You aren’t one of those women who think all men are bad, are you?” Or, “You probably think you are too good for someone like me.” Or, “Someone who comes from a family as well off as yours could not possibly understand what it’s like to be poor.” Or, “This is an unfair restriction on my freedom.” Or, “Telling me to stop is abusive.”

Trying to prove someone wrong by changing your behavior is another way of letting someone’s words have power over you. Instead, make a conscious choice about how you are going to act depending on what the specific behavior being labeled is, what is actually going on, and what is in the best interests of your personal safety, both physical and emotional

Loan sharking:

A loan shark lends one amount and then collects much, much more than was loaned. People sometimes try to build relationships by giving gifts. People sometimes are kind and want to help. There is nothing wrong with this if what they want to do is something you want and if there is no pressure for you to give more than you wish in return.

If someone else approaches you and tries to do you a favor, you are not obligated to accept it nor are you obligated to give a favor back. Be aware that this could be a tactic to get close to you. When someone you don’t know says, “Here, let me help you,’ and tries to do something you did not ask for or don’t really need, the safest response is to say firmly, “No thanks!”

The unsolicited promise:

Promises are important. If you are the kind of person who keeps commitments yourself, you are likely to be reassured when someone makes a promise. However, before you trust your personal safety to someone’s promise, make sure that this person has a track record of keeping promises.

Watch out for comments like, “I promise I will never let you down”, “I promise I will never lie to you”, “I promise I’ll leave just as soon as we get there”, “I haven’t been drinking, I promise”, or, “I’ll drive carefully, I promise.”

Discounting the word, “No”:

As successful fundraisers, negotiators, and salespeople all understand, NO can sometimes mean NOT YET. Asking for more information, listening to concerns, or offering other choices can lead to a good outcome for all concerned, so it is important not to let NO mean more than it actually does.

As wise parents know, a child’s NO should always be respected as a feeling but not always accepted as a choice. At the same time, intrusive or dangerous people will test the boundaries of potential victims by not listening to their NO.

If you are shy or uncertain in saying NO, even people with good intentions might not hear you and might keep pushing your boundaries.  This can affect your personal safety, both physical and emotional. If something is not okay with you or is potentially unsafe, it is important to be strong and clear. “I really do not want to!” or “This is really not okay with me.” Or “Go away! I don’t want your help!”

If you need help, pick someone out yourself and tell that person firmly and loudly that you need help instead of waiting for someone not of your choosing to offer.

You may have been following the story of rapist/murderer John Gardner and how he recently pleaded guilty in order to avoid the death sentence.  He raped and murdered two young girls.  There may be more victims that we will never know about, but there is one woman, Candice Moncayo, who was attacked by Gardner who lived to tell about it.  Her interview on Larry King Live is posted here: http://bit.ly/dbYHB0 and an edited version here: http://bit.ly/aYfk2S

Did she act in a way that the other two girls didn’t?  We may never know unless Gardner chooses to tell us.  He did plead guilty to attacking, raping and murdering Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.  His statements, which lead to his guilty plea, are below.  He also pleaded guilty to the attack on Candice Moncayo, but whether or not they attempted to fight back as Moncayo did is not known at this time. Keep in mind that this was a big guy 6′ 2″ tall and weighs 230 pounds.  Lets leave that alone for now and focus on what did work for Mancayo.

1) She did notice him prior to the attack because he was not wearing workout clothes.  What happened next is what happens all to often in these cases, she assumed he was a local resident just going for a walk and continued down the path towards him.  Just as she was passing him he tackled her and threw her to the side of the trail.

2) She started screaming at the top of her lungs.  He was using both hands to pin her down so he couldn’t muffle her screams and she did the right thing and started screaming and continued to scream thinking someone would come by and help her.  She had passed a number of people out running that morning and assumed more would be out on the trail.

3) He told her to stop screaming, and again she did the right thing, and said “NO!”  He threatened to kill her but she didn’t stop.

4) When he started to shake her, possibly out of frustration and anger with her not following his orders, she took advantage of the opportunity and threw an elbow at his face striking him in the nose, allowing her to get to her feet and she took off running.

5) She ran to a house for help.  She didn’t know the people, but they were kind enough to help her out.  She called the police immediately and reported what had happened.

6) She believes she wasn’t raped and possibly killed because she fought back.  Being the daughter of a 5-time world kickboxing champion and spending most of her life in martial arts didn’t hurt her any either.  Training in martial arts is no guarantee that you will do what she did, but she felt that there was a level of awareness, which she had developed, that helped her.

Had she not reacted the way she did one would assume she would have ended up like his other victims.  What should we take away from this episode?  Honor that little voice inside you that is telling you something isn’t right and act on it!

If you found yourself in a similar situation which was potentially life threatening, what would you do?  Would you be able to scream as she did even though he threatened her life if she didn’t stop? Would you fight back?  In hindsight we might have suggested that when running alone in this somewhat secluded area that you take a small can of pepper spray along with you.  If not pepper spray, a pen can be a good weapon to use on an attackers soft tissue such as the eyes, face, neck, or groin.

Make sure to check out the links and listen to her interview with Larry King.

John Gardner’s statements:

As to Count One, I admit that on February 25, 2010, I attacked Chelsea King while she was running. I dragged her to a remote area where I raped and strangled her. I then buried her in a shallow grave. I admit that this killing was done with premeditation and deliberation. I further admit that this murder occurred during the course of a rape, within the meaning of Penal Code Section 109.2(a)(17). This murder took place within an hour of my initial contact with Chelsea King.

As to Count Two, I admit that on December 27, 2009, I attacked Candice Moncayo while she was running and unlawfully assaulted her with the intent to rape her.

As to Count Three, I admit that on February 13, 2009, I took Amber Dubois to a remote area of Pala where I raped and stabbed her. I then buried her in a shallow grave. I admit that this killing was done with premeditation and deliberation. I further admit that this murder occurred during the course of a rape, within the meaning of Penal Code section 109.2(a)(17).

This murder took place within an hour and a half of my initial contact with Amber Dubois.

(signed) John Gardner

Continue reading New 6 Week Self-Defense Course

Awareness

Pay attention to your environment.  Don’t daydream.

Be aware of your surroundings.  Avoid ipods or similar devices that can prevent you from hearing someone approaching.

Familiarity may breed carelessness.  Just because it is familiar doesn’t mean it is safe.

Walk in the middle of the sidewalk look for people hiding in doorways or parked cars.  If there is little traffic, walk in the middle of the street.  Try to use routes that are well lit.  You may want to vary your route, especially at night.

Know where safety is.  Stay aware no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Be self-aware

Men:  Know Your Triggers.  Men have a tendency to fight over words, property, or territory.   Avoid confrontation at any cost until the final line has been crossed.  This final line can be different for different people.  How will you know?  When you are willing to risk death!!!  Treat fighting as a last resort.

Deal with Reality

Ignoring the situation won’t make it go away.  Saying, “this isn’t really happening to me,” won’t make it go away either.  It is happening to you.  Deal with it!

Body Language

Walk with purpose.  Keep your head up, and have your eyes and ears open.

An aware and confident person is much less likely to be selected as a victim.

Let people know that you are aware of them, without acting afraid or challenging them.

Victims are selected.  Do you look vulnerable?  Do not sound vulnerable.

Walk with determination and assertiveness with your head up.

Don’t look down at the ground.

Take control of your space

Know where your discomfort zone is, and do not let a potential attacker enter your space.

If confronted, set a boundary.  Assume a ready stance and tell the person politely, but firmly what you want them to do, ”Stop right there…Turn around and leave.”   Use a calm firm voice and strong, but neutral body language.

Defend yourself

Assume your ready stance.  According to FBI statistics most attacks are stopped by just one strong move.  It could be yelling at bystanders for help, or just yelling the word STOP.   It could be hitting or kicking as hard as you can.  Whatever you do, Look, Sound and Act like you mean it.

Trust your intuition

When you feel that there is something wrong with a Person, Place, or Situation, there is!

Take appropriate action.  It is better to leave a situation in error than to stay and be proven right.

A student currently attending U of I submitted the information below. These types of occurrences could happen on any campus at just about any time of the year. Hopefully we can all learn something from them and try to be more aware of the potentially dangerous areas and situations which we might encounter while away at college.

Those of you who are currently away at colleges around the country or even over seas please consider sending us similar types of reports that can be shared with current and future college students.

Thank you.

I saw on Facebook that you were interested in stories and reports on campus crimes. I go to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and there has been a rash of assaults and muggings in the past month. I’ll copy/paste all the reports that were emailed to the student body by the Champaign Chief of Police:

_________

1) The University of Illinois Police Department is investigating a report of
battery that occurred on 11-22-09 at approximately 7:15 pm on the
Engineering Quad south of Grainger Library.

The victim was walking when he was approached from behind and knocked to
the ground.  While on the ground two male suspects kicked him in the face
and on both sides of his body.  The suspects then ran west toward the
tennis courts located at the corner of Wright Street and Springfield
Avenue.  The victims jaw and eye were swollen from the incident.

[This occurred over Fall Break on an Engineering portion of campus that is normally very dense with people, but was likely rather sparse over the break.]
_________

2) The Champaign Police Department is investigating a home invasion that
occurred on December 09, 2009 at approximately 4:45 am at an apartment in
the 500 block of East Healey Street.

Two suspects knocked on the door and entered the victims’ apartment with
pistols.  One victim attempted to approach one of the suspects and was
struck in the nose causing a laceration.  The suspects then removed
various electronic items from the apartment.  The suspects then fled from
the area.

Two of the victims had just returned to the apartment prior to the
suspects knocking.  These two victims believe they may have been followed
by the two suspects as they walked back to their apartment from the
south.  The victim who sustained the injury was later treated and
released from an area hospital.

Both suspects were black males wearing ski masks.  One suspect was
described as tall wearing a green sweatshirt.  The other suspect was
described as short and heavier wearing a gray sweatshirt.

__________

3) The University of Illinois Police Department is investigating an
aggravated robbery that occurred on December 11, 2009 at approximately
02:13 am near the 1200 block of West Green Street.

The victim was riding his bicycle near the 1200 block of West Green
Street when three suspects ran up to him from behind and pushed him off
his bicycle.  The three suspects demanded his backpack and his wallet
which he provided without a struggle.  The suspects then fled from the
area.

Unfortunately, the only descriptive information the victim was able to
provide to the police was that the suspects were African-American males,
college age and wearing dark hoodies.

The victim sustained an ankle injury and sought medical treatment from an
area hospital.

As a result of this crime, the University of Illinois Police Department
is increasing patrols in the area and encouraging the campus community to
be aware of their surroundings, to exercise caution when walking and
biking, and to report suspicious individuals by calling 9-1-1.

_________

4) The Champaign Police Department is investigating a robbery that occurred
on December 11, 2009 at approximately 4:00 am near the intersection of
Fifth Street and White Street.  The victim was approached from behind and
punched in the face.  The unconscious victim was later brought home by
friends.  When the victim awoke later in the morning, he realized his
wallet was missing.  This victim could provide no information regarding
the person(s) that committed this crime.  The victim sustained a small
abrasion to his cheek.

________

5) Champaign Police are also investigating an attempted robbery and
aggravated battery that occurred on December 13, 2009 at approximately
7:10 p.m. near the intersection of Second Street and Springfield Avenue.
The victim believes she was followed by the persons who committed this
crime from the area of First Street and Springfield Avenue.  The victim
was pulled into an alley by the offenders and thrown to the ground.  The
offenders kicked the victim repeatedly in the face and torso.  The
offenders attempted to remove property from the victim.  The screams
coming from the victim attracted the attention of a resident of a nearby
apartment who observed the victim on the ground.  The offenders are
described as three black males in their early twenties.  One of the
offenders was tall with a long face.  Another offender was described as
approximately 5 foot 7 inches tall and slightly overweight with braided
hair and wearing baggy jeans with chains hanging off of them.  All three
offenders were wearing loose bomber type jackets.  The victim sustained
several scratches to her face.

________

6) The Urbana Police Department is investigating a robbery that occurred on
December 13, 2009 at approximately 7:55 p.m. in the 400 block of N.
Gregory Street.  The victim had delivered pizzas and was returning to his
vehicle when he was attacked by two or three persons.  The victim was
struck in the head which knocked him to the ground.  The offenders took
property from the victim and fled the area running to the east on the
Clark Street sidewalk towards Lincoln Avenue.  One of the offenders is a
white male.  The other offender is a black male.  Both offenders were
described as college-age males wearing blue jeans.  Information on the
possible third offender was not available.  The victim sustained a
potential head injury and was transported to a local hospital.

________

7) University of Illinois Police responded to a report of a robbery on
December 13, 2009 at approximately 11:30 p.m.  This incident occurred in
a ninth floor hallway of Oglesby Hall at Florida Avenue Residence Halls,
Urbana.  The victim was punched in the face and kneed in the groin area
by the persons committing this crime.  One offender threatened the victim
with an implied knife and removed property from the victim.  UIPD
officers were able to locate two suspects.  One suspect was arrested for
armed robbery.  The other suspect was arrested for armed robbery and
intimidation.  UIPD continues to investigate this case and is seeking to
apprehend the two remaining offenders.  One offender was described as a
black male being heavy set with long braided hair down to his shoulders
wearing a baseball cap, blue jeans and white shoes.  The other offender
was described as a shorter black male wearing a dark-colored hooded
sweatshirt and white batting-style gloves.

[This last one actually occurred IN THE HALLWAY OF A UNIVERSITY DORMITORY.]

We will be offering another 6 Week Self-Defense Course beginning January 24th, 2010 at the Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts.  Named best overall school by Black Belt Magazine.  In addition to learning a number of self defense techniques to use when forced to physically defend yourself, you will learn how to avoid potentially dangerous people and situations by training to improve your:

Situational Awareness

Examples:  What do I do if I think I am being followed?  Should I accept a drink from someone I don’t know?  What action do I take if I feel threatened by the approach of a stranger on the street?  What if someone threatens me with a gun?

Personal Awareness

Examples: What actions would I be willing to take to protect my life or that of a friend or loved one?  What would trigger me to start a fight where serious injury could result?

If you would like to learn more or to register please contact the Degerberg Academy at 773-728-5300.

OK.  So you don’t have eyes in the back of your head, but nothing is stopping you from turning around every once in a while to see if anyone is walking behind you, especially if you are walking by yourself.  I am sure this guy wished he had been paying more attention: http://bit.ly/3EggTZ This happened in Rogers Park, but it could be anywhere and at anytime of the day.  Self-Defense is a state of mind, so stay alert to the possibilities and think about where you will run to should you find yourself in a similar situation.  Having a place to run to is better than just running aimlessly.

Hi to all of you.  I hope you have enjoyed the course and are looking forward to part 2.  I will have more information on that in a few days.

To review this week we only need to think about the kempo blocks/strikes that we introduced last week.  We reviewed the strikes and spent time working them on the pads and then simulated an attack from the front, side, and from the rear.  We used the pads to attack and the kempo blocks/strikes to defend.  It isn’t a perfect way to model this type of attack situation, but from the feedback I received it seems to have at least helped everyone to think about how they might react should they be attacked in a similar manner.