A sad but true story from the local paper (Columbus Dispatch):
A man is grilling food outside the home of his girlfriend. The girlfriend's violent (convicted of assault and under a restraining order) estranged husband shows up armed with a large hunting knife. The boyfriend, apparently aware of this fellow's intent, shouts an alarm and retreats into the house. He re-emerges with a nunchaku and starts a verbal exchange with the husband. The husband advances, slashing with the knife, as the boyfriend retreats, vainly trying to knock the knife away with the nunchaku. The bloodied boyfriend stumbles and the husband stabs him to death. Then, as the wife stands in the doorway talking to the 911 operator, the husband stabs her to death, too. The police arrive a few minutes later and find the killer hiding in the bushes.
The lessons to be learned that jump out at me here are:
1) If you know that some nutball might show up and try to kill you, carry a weapon on your person so you'll have it when you need it.
2) If you don't practice #1, then at least have enough sense to lock the door behind you if you manage to retreat into the house. Then stay inside!
3) If you neglect both #1 and #2, then at least let the bad guy make the mistake of bringing a knife to a gunfight. Use a firearm instead of playing Bruce Lee.
Several neighbors witnessed this incident but were too afraid to intervene (and if they were unarmed it's probably just as well).
A man is grilling food outside the home of his girlfriend. The girlfriend's violent (convicted of assault and under a restraining order) estranged husband shows up armed with a large hunting knife. The boyfriend, apparently aware of this fellow's intent, shouts an alarm and retreats into the house. He re-emerges with a nunchaku and starts a verbal exchange with the husband. The husband advances, slashing with the knife, as the boyfriend retreats, vainly trying to knock the knife away with the nunchaku. The bloodied boyfriend stumbles and the husband stabs him to death. Then, as the wife stands in the doorway talking to the 911 operator, the husband stabs her to death, too. The police arrive a few minutes later and find the killer hiding in the bushes.
The lessons to be learned that jump out at me here are:
1) If you know that some nutball might show up and try to kill you, carry a weapon on your person so you'll have it when you need it.
2) If you don't practice #1, then at least have enough sense to lock the door behind you if you manage to retreat into the house. Then stay inside!
3) If you neglect both #1 and #2, then at least let the bad guy make the mistake of bringing a knife to a gunfight. Use a firearm instead of playing Bruce Lee.
Several neighbors witnessed this incident but were too afraid to intervene (and if they were unarmed it's probably just as well).