Your tactics for a sudden close-quarter attack

[threegun]

How would you handle a sudden close quarter attack possibly by multiple attackers? Provided you don't freeze of course. What tactics could be employed to increase survivability?

[rduckwor]

Try to get away. That's always best, failing that, hard to say. Maybe try to disable the initiator and hope the others will get the hint.

If armed, try to get to cover and engage if pursued.

Tough question as there are a lot of possibilities unanswered.

[CWPinSC]

Too general for a specific response.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Don't miss?

If I have to shoot then that's my first goal.

Second goal (if I have to shoot), is get away to a place or distance that I no longer have to shoot.

[cmking26]

Obviously just do like in the movies and do some cartwheels while shooting and hit everyone in range. Kinda vague question. At best try to get some cover to shoot from.

[Loupgarou]

Run away, screaming like a little girl.

[comn-cents]

Lots of variables. But the basics, moving, if possible is first. Creating distance and trying to keep the BG's in a single row, so that you only have to fight one at a time.

[azredhawk44]

I imagine that by close quarter you mean touching distance.

The gun doesn't even come into play in such an environment until you earn enough respect from your attackers to allow time to draw it.

Assuming you can't evade...

Attack knees, necks, elbows, groins, xyphoid process and other vulnerable points on attackers as they are available. Once they back off enough to allow a gun to be drawn, draw and start shooting until they show their backs and heels to you. Multiple attackers is nothing to mess around with.

[CelticWolf]

USE MY HEAD!!!!!!!!!!.... because that is the greatest weapon of all...

[Claude Clay]

Too general for a specific response

true enough. though i am always with a 642 in my left vest/coat pocket. the same pocket that has a divider to safely hold my car keys
so as the BG's may be wondering where the gunfire is coming from, they will have a bigger problem running away as likely they will be tripping all over their fallen buddies.

ok, that was a bit tongue n cheek cause the reality of the situation is if they got that close to you than you failed big time in paying attention to your surroundings. and if you survive this scenario you best to consider a good SD class before you carry again

[hogdogs]

Some of us are to stupid to posses the "flight" gene and only have the "fight" gene... No holds barred (pun intended) full on frontal assault with scratching, biting and other dirty tricks fully allowed! Hope for the best, expect the worst and go down fighting or win...
Brent

[Skans]

If the scenario is an unprovoked physical attack by 3 unarmed individuals in close quarters, meaning I can't get away:

1. If I have a gun, shoot 'em until the attack stops.
2. If I don't have a gun, generally speaking, I would pick the most vulnerable, or one easiest to defeat and I'd eliminate him. Then I'd immediately try to escape the other two, or take another one out if I had to and was able.

I have thought through a number of these scenarios - I was taught to constantly "see" situations and mentally determine how you would address them. Whenever I'm walking down a city street or crouded area, I will group people in 2's or 3's, imagine them attacking me and think about how I'd respond. You do need to be able to react quickly and have a plan of attack and you better be a "dirtier" fighter than the folks attacking you. If you are caught totally off guard, you will pretty much be screwed. I can almost guaranty you that at least one of several people attacking you won't really know how to fight - that's the first guy you want to take out.

I don't seen any sense in discussing what you would do if you are unarmed and 3 armed individuals attack you. Do whatever they tell you to do until you think you have even a 30% chance of escaping with your life.

[threegun]

I apologize as I was very vague in my initial post. I will add now.

The attack is by armed foe or foes. The range is just outside retention distances out to 21 feet or so.

You haven't failed in detecting the potential threat but they hadn't shown their hand or produced a weapon until NOW.

You are either in a tie with the bad guy for gun point or behind them.

You have already decided to resist even if behind the eight ball.

How do you respond? What tactics would give you the best chance?

This scenario is designed to replicate what I see in alot of police shootouts and convenience store robbery shootouts. You are instantly engaged in a life and death struggle with your firearm. Most officers run then return fire from cover. Most store clerks duck and shoot over their heads.

This thread is seeking an improved way to respond.

[paull]

Die like a man...
Barring the success of the run/scream like a girl tactic.
p

[Capt. Charlie]

This truly is the worst case, nightmare scenario. The odds of surviving such an encounter are slim, at best, but it has been done.

Simple, out in the open engagement is out of the question. You need to get out of the kill zone, but simply running to cover just makes you a duck in a shooting gallery.

I believe the answer is run & gun, at the same time. Bad guys find it a lot more difficult to put rounds on target when the rounds are two-way traffic .

If you can put your rounds on target while on the run, that's great (not many can), but the idea is to disorient, distract and pin down for that few seconds it takes to escape or reach suitable cover.

In fact, anything you can think of to make their fire less effective should help. That includes hitting your car's remote panic alarm, throwing something just before running & gunning, etc. Think fast, and use your imagination.

All this may decrease the odds of your demise from 99% to 97%, but hey, someone always wins the lotto!

[DRice.72]

Since you took away the most likely thing I would do, which is freeze ( I have no training in stress tactics to prevent that) I guess there are only two options left. Take cover, or engage. Chances are even if they draw first, they will hesitate, that slight second would all one needed to stop the threat. It seems that the show of force by a BG is just that, a show. Unless something happens to escalate the situation. Like I said though, I have no training so.

[MLeake]

... using non-projectile weapons, my answer would have been:

Choose one at random (or the easiest, closest target) and charge him, in a way that may level him but that puts him in between me and the bulk of the group.

Keep to the outside of the group, trying to move in such a way that they interfere with each other - the ideal case would be to line them up.

Meanwhile, draw and fire, since there are multiple attackers.

Sans the gun, we do this type of drill in aikido all the time; it's called "randori," or multiple attacker drill. The attacks the gang can use are determined by the skill level of the defender, in class. Straight punches only or overhead strikes only, for new guys; add hook/roundhouse punches for more advanced; add grabs for even more advanced; add training weapons (shinai) for brown belt and black belt levels.

You learn early on that staying in the middle is stupid. They can and will hit you from all sides. This is also true if you choose to tie up with one for too long. While you grapple, the others nail you.

I like to attack, but usually with an iriminage type attack that relies on penetration; take his balance, drop him to the floor (ideally where his body trips up at least one or two of the others), and move to the outside of the circle.

If I do tie up with a guy (usually means he's grabbed me), I try to gain control of him as quickly as I can - usually this involves manipulating his head, and maybe gaining a wristlock or armbar, but if you control the hair at the back of his head with one hand, and his chin with the other, he'll go where you want him to - and then pivot with him to spiral him into the others. We call this sort of thing "bowling for Uke's." (Uke is the name for the attacker in a training pair, it translates roughly as "he who should have known better." Nage is the one who will execute the throw.)

Note: We train in Aikido at not trying to accomplish this sort of thing using upper body and arm muscles. Elbows stay near the rib cage, deltoids and lats relaxed; power is gained by dropping the hips and using body weight, or twisting the trunk and moving the feet and hips, using overall momentum plus leg strength. You can develop this sort of movement by opening doors without flexing your arm. Grab the knob or handle, turn/press if necessary for the locking mechanism, but then actually move the door by shifting feet and hips forward or back. You don't use arm muscle, pec, shoulder, or lats.

Note2: I learned, way back in wrestling days, that a good takedown required penetration, which meant my hips needed to go past where his were balanced. This was achieved by stepping in deep and driving with the feet... interesting how MA mechanics tend to have a lot in common between styles and approaches...

Going back to your original question, if the guys have projectile weapons, and you decide surrender is a bad idea, then it's imperative to try to move in a way that makes them foul each other's shot.

[Sefner]

A single armed target with the drop on you at that distance assuming you have no cover and cannot run? Excuse the Rambo-tactic, but most people (unless they have balls of steel) will experience a very particular chemical reaction in their body: an adrenaline rush. I propose using this to your advantage.

You'd want to charge him and close the distance as fast as possible. If he shoots he may or may not hit you (he is going to be surprised and you're moving), but your adrenaline will cause you to neither feel the pain or go down unless he hits a vital area, which is unlikely. The key here is that around 80% of handgun victims survive, and the less wounds you have, the better off you are (also you mentioned police, you would have a vest). Ergo, the quicker you can close the distance and grab the gun, move the arm, something, the better off you are. From there you MUST disable your attacker. Remember, you are probably bleeding and will probably soon black out unless the wound is superficial (which it may very well be).

Overpowering the guy is the next step. I would contend you will be able to do so unless the guy is a massive NFL-built dude. This is because again, your adrenaline is coursing at a rate you've probably never experienced in your life. 120lb women have managed to lift cars in order to save loved ones or themselves due to the effects of adrenaline. You will not only be much stronger than normal, but you will react much much faster. See MLeake's post for some ways to do this. Hopefully you've overpowered him. From here the circumstances dictate. If the criminal is satisfactorily disabled, I'd recommend calling an ambulance because you will probably bleed out soon.

I've never really thought this adrenaline tactic through, so I'm throwing it out there for some criticism. The main point here is: if you can't run away and as a last ditch effort, you may be able to increase your chances of survival by using the adrenaline rush to your advantage.

[JohnH1963]

What you are looking for is whats called an "immediate action drill". Certain forces around the world, such as the Secret Service, Navy Seals,etc., rehearse these situations all the time. Basically, its a combination of quick shooting and running.

Here is a video of one Seal immediate action drill which involves retreating while laying down a field of fire. The first step is to "spray and pray". Lay down a field of fire that will make your attackers dive for cover. You want to focus your fire on the threats closest to you. The next step is a fast retreat.

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2...tactics-p1.php

You can look up the word "immediate action drill" on google or youtube to see how various forces are trained for ambushes and such.

Usually the pistols and rifles an enemy carries will be cheap, made for reliability and not be so accurate. For example, the AK-47 is not an accurate rifle and the further from it you are, the better your odds. If you are on the move, the AK-47 is less accurate in the enemy's hands. At 200 yards, the person with the AK-47 will have a tough time hitting you if you are standing still. On the other hand, if the enemy has an M16 or M14 then you are in trouble.

Most gangs and groups of criminals usually have cheap crude weaponry and not too much training. Basically, what they could afford at a gun-show or pawn shop. They won't be that accurate.

So you lay down fire to closest immediate threat. The goal is to get their heads down and to dive for cover. That should give you 2-3 seconds of time. The average human runs at 6-7 yards per second so you can cover at least 15-20 yards with that diversion. When running, you should constantly change direction. The other goal is to hit at least one of them. If one of them is injured, then one or two of their party will probably stay behind to treat the injured man. The group might congregate around the injured man for a few more seconds making sure he is alright thus distracting them for additional seconds.

The effective range of most pistols is about 50 yards. You need to buy yourself 10 seconds of time to get out of the range of the pistols. One drill is to go to a track and practice half-laps or a 200 yard dash. The faster you can sprint out of harm's way, the better off you are. When you practice such drills, though, you want to run in a manner where you are constantly changing direction. Run with one hand on the pistol facing the attackers firing while zig-zagging to a location that might provide cover like trees, buildings or cars.

[ZeSpectre]

The attack is by armed foe or foes. The range is just outside retention distances out to 21 feet or so. You haven't failed in detecting the potential threat but they hadn't shown their hand or produced a weapon until NOW.

Sometimes you are just jacked.

I've heard it said that in such a situation one of the best tactics is a crazed loud yelling berserker charge. While I do know that such an unexpected move does tend to put people behind the reaction curve I have no idea if it would actually help you out or just get you shot a bunch of times.

[Skans]

If possible, I'd immediately seek some sort of cover and then fire when the opportunity presents. If there is nowhere to seek cover, what else are you really supposed to do? You don't leave many options available - I guess you take aim and fire, hoping that your training is much better than the 3 attackers.

[Sefner]

Run with one hand on the pistol facing the attackers firing while zig-zagging to a location that might provide cover like trees, buildings or cars.

Not so sure this is a good idea... You risk hitting innocent bystanders and it would slow down your running away. If you're going to shoot do so to make the bad guys dive for cover, like you said, then run away while they stay behind cover.

AK-47

I don't think a random street mugger is going to carry an AK. But this makes your argument of shooting to slow down your attacker stronger. You can leave the general effective area of a pistol on foot given enough time, so I find this tactic plausible.

[JohnH1963]

If you have 4-5 armed persons standing around you, are you going to worry about innocent bystanders? You have a choice of either laying down fire and there might be a chance they dive for cover or just running and letting them fire at you.

There is a chance of collateral damage, but the greater chance is you getting shot.

[threegun]

Let me say something about collateral damage. I will do everything possible to avoid collateral damage so long as it doesn't reduce my chances of survival in an attack.

I'm not going to open fire on a man robbing a 7-11 as he tries to flee while people stand behind him. If he opens fire on me and I am behind cover I will hold my fire for the sake of others. However If he opens fire on me while I am out in the open and no cover available within the time it takes to draw and return fire I must return fire. Any scenario which dictates the immediate use of deadly force to survive must trump the danger to innocents. If not just stop carrying because statistics say that resisting increases the risks of injury to all.

[Tucker 1371]

**I am no expert and I have no training, this is just my game plan that I came up with in about 10 minutes, it seems sound to me, critiques welcomed**

I think some basic but very important things are to create as much space as possible, keep all of them in front of you, and react quickly with the maximum amount of force. I can think of three possible scenarios (assuming avoiding them is not an option):

1.) You spot them early enough so that you can yell something to the extent of "That's close enough" or "[buzz] off". When they keep coming draw while moving (back, forward, left right, whatever works) away slowly. You drawing gives them two options, leave or rush you. If they keep coming towards you while your gun is drawn then you're going to have to drop the 1st one and get at least one shot to the center of mass of as many of the others as you can. If they don't get the message after (which I don't think is likely) that then if you need to stop them all (also not likely).

2.) They jump you at close range but only from the front. Realistically I don't think there is a lot of hope for this situation if you are not the only armed person in your group, best bet is to stay alert and not get in it. You very likely will need to be able to use more than just your firearm to get you out, i.e. MA training. You need to put well placed shots into two of them as quickly as possible, be able to prevent them from restraining you, and know how not to lose your gun to them. Then, as soon as you have freed yourself from their grip and put at least 4 rounds on target you need to move quickly away while keeping an eye on them, firing more if needed.

3) They encircle you at close range. Honestly if you're situationally aware in the least bit this should not happen to you. Like two you're probably screwed already . Also want to at least have basic MA training. Draw you're CCW to waist level and shoot the attacker immediately in front of you twice and then run through him like an NFL linebacker, duck under arms, punch, elbow, knee, anything you can possibly do immediately after shooting to create an opening and then haul @$$ through it and turn around so you can cover the rest of them, shoot as needed.

In all cases call the police as soon as it is safe to do so.