The 3 Percenter

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pointfiveoh

New member
I have heard that 3 percent of all assailants are the kind of motivated attacker that will not stop, no matter what. I wonder how accurate that stat is and, if any leo/civilian/military on these boards has had to deal with one. If so, what did you do? I am mildly worried about an encounter with someone that will attempt to fight me with a broken arm, leg, etc., mildly because of the rare chance of attack, not because I am so confident in my ability to take one down.
 
A better stopper than any bullet is a 9 iron to the gonads. ouch. It doesn't matter how pissed the assailant is, if you can land a headshot or a shot to their heart/vital organ, they are going down. No matter how much they WANT to keep coming at you, if their body is in deep enough peril, they physically cannot.
 
I can tell you about 3 percenters, as I am one.

I am not going to lie and say LEOs are all 3 percenters, b/c I know some who are flat out pussies. But I have been in a couple situations at work when I would refuse to quit, and have prevailed over the adversary. I am ex-infantry, and currently LE, and I don't think you can teach someone to have this instinct. You have it or you dont. Sometimes you can do things you dont know you are capable of, see and hear and react to things as if almost animal-like. Unexplainable, but a wonderful thing. It would take me dead to finish my job.

I don't know about criminals being 3% motivated to finish the job. Although most are out to get money or a stereo or drugs the easiest way possible, and will run at the sight of Cops or a property owner, there are some bold people out there, and putting a number on it would be impossible.
 
pointfiveoh, . . . the story I heard that sealed the fate of the .45 ACP 1911 becoming THE sidearm of the Navy and USMC concerned the Moro tribe of the SouthWest Pacific.

They would get fired up drunk on their local kickapoo juice, . . . take their 8 foot long spears and go GI hunting. They would come charging like a rhino with that spear head at your belt level. No one knows the number of them that were killed with 6 well placed .38's or .35's, . . . but yet were able to keep coming on will power and momentum, . . . and took out their GI target.

The 1911 virtually by itself, . . . stopped all that. One or two at the most, well placed (read center of sturnum or center of face) 240 grain FMJ's put them on the ground before they could get to the GI.

I translate that today to my .45 ACP, and my 103% determination to survive the encounter. If I ever do have to drop the hammer on someone, . . . when the attack (from their end) stops, . . . I'll quit shooting, . . . not before. I practice 8 rounds, reload, 7 rounds, reload, 7 rounds: just in case I need to do just that.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Interesting, good story too. I enjoy your posts Dwight. I sure hope you never have to unload 22 .45's into someone, but multiple attackers I guess. I also hope I never meet anyone that could hold that many .45's.

I was thinking more along the lines of an "everyday" assault. Since I am only 20 and cannot legally carry, what suggestions would you make as far as defense from the never say die attacker? I'm a fan of the cheap shot (read eyes, groin, knees, throat) but if it doesn't drop someone, what would you do (assuming no firearm)?
 
Just do whatever it takes to get the upperhand long enough to incapacitate him, get to a knife, gun, or other weapon, or run. The decision will be yours, but kick, punch, scratch....eyes, nuts, whatever it takes....most attacks you won't be able to immediately access a weapon, but you should always expect an encounter. Think the worst in every situation, and always be scanning in the back of your mind....what if, what if, what if.

And another thing, keep yourself in good aerobic shape. Ever been in a 1 or 2 minute fight? Rather exhausting.
 
pointfiveoh, . . . Pharley gave you the right advice for unarmed combat.

You absolutely MUST gain the upperhand and it must be done immediately. If you wait, . . . looking for an opening, . . . it just may be an opening in the ground about 6 feet long and 6 feet deep.

Fighting should be always only as a last resort: but when you have to go there, . . . go there with the mindset that it is you who will survive, . . . it is you who has the will, . . . it is you who will stand when it is all over.

Don't overlook any thing you can lay your hands on as a weapon, especially anything with mass and hardness. A medium to large size glass ashtray placed un lovingly upside the bg's head will cause him to "pause and consider". Kick, gouge, scratch, bite, whatever it takes.

One of the best weapons I have ever seen for unarmed combat is simply a look. You get the "look" of a psycho on your face, with some drool coming out the side of your mouth, and a real crazy upbeat attitude beaming from you and most guys will just sashay on down the road, . . . ain't messing with that "crazy".

Anyway, . . . stay safe, . . . and the best way to do that is to stay away from places that ain't safe. Be aware of your surroundings, . . . know where your getaway exit is at all times. And don't be afraid to run away from trouble. I walked away one time from a guy who just wanted to fight. I would have to have hurt him bad to stop the altercation, . . . so I just walked. He followed me for several hundred feet, . . . cursing, swearing, and spitting at me. When the "law" came down, . . . it came down on my side and I never had to deal with him again.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
If absolutely necessary, a really hard hooked thumb into the eye socket usually does wonders to change the attitude.....and will visually impare the attacker also.... :cool:
 
Dwight, the 1911 did not put a stop to any such thing. The .38's were considered ineffective against the "insurgents" in the Philippines, yes, but the solution was to bring out .45 SAA's--which, according to the men on scene, didn't fare a whole lot better. Somewhere out there is a letter home from one of the officers stating that the .45 worked very well when a cool-headed man placed his shots in the center of the enemy's chest, and was ineffective with peripheral hits. Not very surprising results.

I love my .45's, but it's important to separate the facts from the myths.
 
The only shooting target that will almost always disable a three percenter is the central nervous system; the brain or the upper spine. If you have a strong impact weapon such as a expandable metal baton, a hard strike to the side of the head or neck might achieve the same results - if not, your mark might be disabled with less than lethal blows to the outside of the knees, elbows etc if you can connect fast enough and have the agility. If you have your bare hands only; a hard strike with the knuckles (or any improvised impact weapon of convenience) into the throat.
 
data?

I know that there is a very good and popular training program that includes the "3 percenter" concept as one of its tenets. I also know the origin of the number as it was developed for that training system.

I am curious to know if anyone has any reliable data, research or information about what percentage of people charged with "resisting arrest" or "assault" are actually people who demonstrated an sincere will and intent to harm their victim without being stopped by anything except true, overwhleming force (ie- they fought until they were disabled, killed or eluded/escaped.).

I hesitate to use numbers like this without firm ground to stand on.
 
I don't have them Rob, but have encountered those that would fit the bill and believe me they are memorable. Only came across three in twelve years and each left an indelible imprint upon me, thank you... :eek:

The worst was a 240 lb semi-pro boxer who was 'roid ragin'. Took four of us to control him - two of which were also rather large and in shape 3 percenters. OC was ineffective as was one officer's ASP. Twas quite interesting.

Folks who suggest a 3 percenter might be taken down with a poke from a nine iron are depending too much on luck and/or aren't really familiar with the 3 percenter concept. It ain't gonna happen - trust or try me. :D
 
In the last 14 years I've come across 2 or 3 real 3%'s. I think that someone enjoying the chemical effects of methamphetamine on their bodies react in a similar manner. The 3%'s seem to get that way when resisting arrest, usually not committing the crime that brought us together.
 
In answer to Don's post, . . . as I said earlier, . . . it was just the story I heard from "the gunney's". I never tried to find any first hand folks who were there when it happened.

I do know that the Navy and USMC did have .38's and some other "less than 45" calibers, . . . and I know that as far back as I could go with first hand knowledgeable folks, . . . the .45 was THE fighstopper of choice. That was all I was really trying to bring to the discussion.

I do appreciate the update, . . . will have to add the SAA part to the story as I didn't know they were also used.

Anyway, . . . may God bless,
Dwight
 
Are these people, always on a substance? Does testosterone have to be invloved? What are the traits of these people? I have heard stories about them. Just curious. TIA
 
Going Postal

Read a book a month ago by,Timothy Treadwell, who lived with The Brown Bears (big grizzlies) of Kodiak Island for about 16 years until he and his girl friend were killed by an aggressive sub-adult (800 pound) male last year.

Normally he tactically maneuvered in various ways to avoid highly aggressive bears but occasionaly that didn’t work. He stopped several predatory/aggressive close in attacks by going bonkers… screaming, wild gesturing, looking at and moving directly toward the bear.

During the summer I work as an unarmed backcountry National Park ranger. Year before last I was the target of a running black bear charge from the rear and about 165’ to spitball distance. Due to snow I didn't hear it till it was at 65 feet or so. It may’ve stopped any way but with only a cup of tea on board I went postal and it stopped short …it huffed and jaw snapped for a while as the 250-300 pounder backed off while I intermittently yelled, waived at it and promised to send its favorite body parts to China.

I instantly go postal on ‘leashed’ (but unleashed) mostly Rott-type urban dogs who attack about 1-2x/yr in the large urban park where I jog…they may not leave the vicinity but they immediately back down. Never had to deal with an unleashed Pit Bull though.

The resolute mental and physical demonstration of the will to aggressively fight it out to survive or kill … to do anything that is necessary harnesses something tough inside. Like Pharley I’m not sure it can be taught or unlike Pharley that I have it in Spades .. but a strong sense of honor, commitment, justice, stubbornness and martial arts is a start for the good guys.
 
He stopped several predatory/aggressive close in attacks by going bonkers… screaming, wild gesturing, looking at and moving directly toward the bear......

until he and his girl friend were killed by an aggressive sub-adult (800 pound) male last year.
Click to expand...


ahem......guess he met a 3%'er..... :rolleyes:
 
DT--Yeah, he knew the bear very well and it was a 3%r.

Early in his 'career' he stopped a few with pepper spray. Later unfortunately he got too confident as he learned more about behavior which was his undoing.

The bear was bumping his tent and he got up to shoo it away, he didn't know it was the worst and most aggressive of all the 100 or so local bears -- he had no time or space to try his thing.

Audio of the incident was made by his movie camera.
 
Most of the 'unstopables' ...

are on some sort of chemical enhancement. The worst being PCP. However, many of the current recreational drugs will increase paranoia and decrease pain. Another side effect of PCP is increased body heat; usually the freak will take off his clothes. Wrestling a naked sweaty individual is problematic; they are hard to grab. I've never (thank you, Lord) had occasion to grab anyone by the obvious handle, but I'm sure it won't play well on the six o'clock news.

PCP freaks will not feel any pain at all. They will when they come down, but the attacker being very, very sore tomorrow will not help the defender today.

They can be choked out, if the defender can manage to do so. Other than crippling the central nervous system to prevent voluntary movement, the only other non-lethal technique is to somehow bind them up. A small cargo net with very high tensile strength material is suitable for this; but it requires the assistance of an aide or two. Another method is nylon clothesline to lasso and wrap them. But this requires an associate as well. I've heard cold water in large quantities is discouraging to them, but that is untested in my book.

Shooting them requires killing them to stop them. A heart shot takes several minutes for the attacker to bleed out. They can be very active until the very last moment or so. There is a report of a doper sticking up a gun shop; he fired, was fired upon, striking him in the head and ejecting a goodly portion of what served as his brain (that shot killed him, in fact); but he fired two more shots before slumping to the ground. Not very precise shots, but still two shots. My weapon of choice in such matters is a LAAW rocket or 105mm recoiless rifle, but they are spendy and hard to holster.

The absolute best defense is distance. Be somewhere else if you possibly can.
 
To the guys who are 3%'rs, were you like that as kids, did you get hurt, and not really react, or did it happend, after you went thru a growth spurt, or grew up. Did you just suddenly find out in a fight, or an accident. My former Boss told me a story about a bouncer in a bar in pontiac, MI who acted like you guys say, I can't remember if he said he was steroidal big,(this is in the late 70's I think you could basically ask your Dr. for an anabolic back then, and it was his diecretion wether to prescribe it.) I guess guys were breaking pole cues, on him, groin, head to no effect. This is second hand and told to me a long time ago, so it should, and could be suspect.
 
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