Real scenario, interested in input.

[Aray]

I just heard this story first hand, it happened a year ago +/-.

A guy in his 60's is walking down a side street in a major city at 1800 or so(unarmed), just getting dusk at that time of the year. 4 youths (teens) approaching on his side of the street, 2 male, 2 female. One of the females sprays mace/pepper spray from waist level(took him a while to figure it out), females stay in front, males move to flank as a pair.

Subject engages the two males and throws them to the ground once he identifies the situation, the females back off and he escapes to a parking garage that is attended.

This scares the hell out of me, outnumbered and being sprayed, my guess is I would draw if I was faced with this scenario. I'm not LE, not a triggerpuller when I was .mil. Those idiots could end up dead, and me in jail? Who knows how it would play out.

I guess I'm just pissed. I know situational awareness would have helped the guy greatly, but anyone can be caught off guard.

[believeraz]

I just heard this story first hand, it happened a year ago +/-.

A guy in his 60's is walking down a side street in a major city at 1800 or so(unarmed), just getting dusk at that time of the year. 4 youths (teens) approaching on his side of the street, 2 male, 2 female. One of the females sprays mace/pepper spray from waist level(took him a while to figure it out), females stay in front, males move to flank as a pair.

Subject engages the two males and throws them to the ground once he identifies the situation, the females back off and he escapes to a parking garage that is attended.

This scares the hell out of me, outnumbered and being sprayed, my guess is I would draw if I was faced with this scenario. I'm not LE, not a triggerpuller when I was .mil. Those idiots could end up dead, and me in jail? Who knows how it would play out.

I guess I'm just pissed. I know situational awareness would have helped the guy greatly, but anyone can be caught off guard.

Two words, disparate force.

One thing I learned through repeated sessions of OC exposure on the street and in training is that I have 3-5 seconds after taking a direct hit, and then my eyes lock shut and I lose my ability to intelligently defend myself.

In this situation, IAW the law where I live, I could clearly articulate fear for my life and disparate force, and should it be necessary, the use of deadly force.

[RPD03]

This is a bad situation but I have to agree with believeraz. If you can articulate that you were in fear of your life or of great bodily harm due to the number of attackers and the impairment of your ability to defend yourself, I think that you should be ok. The former district attorney in my area agreed with me, haven't had a chance to run it by the new one yet.

[BLACK LION]

What I have learned from my "experiences" in the "streets" and from the "laws of the land"... If I am approached and accosted by more than one attacker I must automatically assume my life is in danger and I DO have the right to escalate force as I see fit....I am not saying draw down and drop them all DRT... but I am saying that this type of situations open up certain means of force escalation that may not be available "within the law" if it was a one on one...
I know of stories similar to yours in which the attacker uses some type of "spray" to "subdue" thier victim before getting to work...It seemed to be the "thing to do" in vegas for a minute(even to the tune of drive by sprayings ).... I was faced with a singular threat who had a plan to do this very same thing... something about my demeanor made him think twice so I never needed to agress or egress.

Back to the multiple attackers... Its basically a case of..." they circled me and said they were gonna kill me, I believed them...then they sprayed me and in fear for my life, I acted accordingly....I am really shaken up right now and I would really appreciate all further contact going through my attorney"

Please excuse the rant

[Outlander Systems]

:situational awareness:

Victim was unarmed, folks. He couldn't escalate the situation with anything but wishful thinking. I don't care if you're Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris' love child, unarmed + multiple assailants = bad day for you.

The best thing he could have done, and in retrospect you always have a better analysis, is avoidance. If something doesn't feel right, slide out.

As a non-macho, not-a-tough-guy, I've got nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing to prove. I'd rather look like a sissy and have my face lookin' pretty, than be sitting in the ICU because I'm "Billy Badass".

This all reverts back to the training for physical fitness. Running is a powerful tactical weapon.

ETA: If this illustrates anything, had the victim been carrying, his own weapon could have very easily been used against him.

[BLACK LION]

Situational awareness is paramount at all times.Avoidance above all else is a ureity for survival and being able to swiftly escape danger is second to avoidance... but there are moments when you just get "caught off guard"...

I am not the type to think or say one cant take on many and succeed as I have personally experienced the contrary... I am also not one to think or say that had a person been carrying a tool of some sort it could have been used on them... I do patron the fact that it can happen and does but thats the point of GOOD training.

You do not have to be a super bionic ninja to gain the upper hand under duress and against overwhelming odds... its all about how unfair you are willing to be and how far you are willing to push cause and effect...
It comes down to whos the better predator, you or them...