The scene after a terrorist knife attack in Paris, France on May 12, 2018
We all hear statistics regarding active shooter incidents. I would be surprised if the phrase ‘active shooter’ is not already in the urban dictionary. Well, that’s certainly not the complete picture. How many single- or multi-casualty incidents do not involve firearms? What about vehicles used as battering rams? Perhaps our terminology would be more accurately “Active Assailant.”
Although I must admit that I have not seen any current assessments of objective data collected regarding the use of edged weapons in such attacks, I believe that the use of edged weapons as primary weapons is on the rise.
Certainly, the ability of virtually anyone to acquire an edged weapon legally or casually is without restriction, save for those incarcerated – although that does not deter creative and motivated minds from making a shiv out of basically anything.
We carry edged weapons on and off duty (what is your agency’s edged weapons policy?), at home, and everywhere else. We train on handgun retention, but what about retaining that large handled push knife on your duty belt?
We have all heard the “21-Foot Rule.” It is more of an illustration of action vs. reaction and how quickly things can go wrong. Unfortunately, this was distorted into an absolute.
Nearly every agency has a box of knives confiscated during subject contacts. Having no evidentiary value, they end up in the ‘knife box.’ Some of those things are testaments to what you can create with duct tape and something sharp.
Several videos have recently shown officers utilizing Tasers or other less lethal force against subjects with edged weapons. Many of those suspects were much closer than 21 feet.
The ceramic knives used in the Paris attacks
I have several concerns, not the least of which is a growing trend for officers hesitating to appropriately use deadly force, fearing their agency will not fully back them, or just not wanting to be the next media target.
The meat cleaver used in the terrorist attack on the Carlie Hebdo magazine office.
Terrorists and the Use of Edged Weapons
Propaganda from several terrorist organizations has encouraged the use of readily available edged weapons, as they can often have fewer visible indicators, along with a reduced time of detection and disruption.
The October 2020 publication of the pro-ISIS ‘The Voice of Hind’ by the Jund al-Khilafah urges using edged weapons against accused blasphemers.
A pro-ISIS view on using edged weapons against non-believers.
This document highlighted the October 2020 knife attack in France on a teacher. The teacher was targeted after discussing freedom of expression and the Charlie Hebdo Muhammad cartoons.
A few days later, another individual killed three people and injured several others with a knife inside a Nice, France church. At the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, both a guard and another individual were also stabbed.
Responding officers may observe indications that an edged weapon attack is a terrorism-related incident. An attacker’s actions or statements during an incident may provide insight into potential motivations and possible follow-on tactics, techniques, and procedures used by the attackers.
Consider that an incident may be part of a larger complex and coordinated attack, which may entail others targeting first responders.
A suspect motivated by violent ideology, especially martyrdom, may not comply with commands to stop the attack and disarm.
You may see the following indicators:
Pre-arrival – Information from 911 operators, such as reported behaviors or statements indicating allegiance to terrorist groups or a need for revenge.
During Response – In addition to sizing up the scene and performing life-saving actions, try looking for visible or audible signs indicating violent extremist ideology, such as stickers, graffiti, and flags.
Post-incident – Investigators can exploit social media, pocket litter, journals, interviews, financial transactions, and travel records for the investigation.
Responders should be highly aware of their surroundings, which warn of an attempt to lure first responders into an ambush or follow-on attack.
If someone approaches you, watch their hands for palmed items or suspicious movements, such as reaching for pockets, the waistband, or anywhere a weapon could be concealed.
Attackers have modified innocuous items, such as lawnmower blades or wrenches, to conceal their appearance as edged weapons.
Use of appropriate safety gear is recommended, such as ballistic vests. They may not be designed to protect against edged weapons but might provide extra protection.
Training – Responders are encouraged to continue training for an edged weapon attack. Studies have established parity of force between holstered firearms and impact or edged weapons of 21 feet, based on reaction time and marksmanship changes challenges, with firearms gaining an advantage at increased distances.
- Update use of force policies and training to include edged and impact weapon attacks.
- Teach self-aid for edged weapon injuries. Make sure officers have quick clotting bandages and tourniquets.
- Develop and validate emergency response plans to improve mitigation tactics, increase rapid life-saving treatment, and assist with the transition to the investigation phase. Then train on them.
This Chief of Police opened his front door and was stabbed in the face by a suspect.
Berkeley County, South Carolina, September 7, 2020: A man accused of stabbing the Bonneau police chief in the face with an ice pick is in custody after a standoff with Berkeley County deputies. After stabbing Chief Franco Fuda under his left eye, investigators said Bowman ran to his mobile home and barricaded. Forrest Bowman was arrested shortly after 12:30 p.m. The SWAT team brought Bowman, who was naked and screaming, out of his trailer. According to Fuda, Bowman told him that he was “going to die today.”
A domestic violence suspect crashed his red truck into one patrol car – a deputy who was in it at the time survived.
Also, remember it’s not only firearms that can be used in ambushes – always be mindful of scene security. The red truck was the suspect in a domestic violence call who had left earlier but returned to the scene while Deputies were interviewing the victim. A deputy seated in one of the patrol vehicles was injured but recovered.
A Mississippi man was arrested Friday during a traffic stop after he attempted to hide a gun in a quesadilla from Taco Bell. Devin P. Mitchell folded the gun into the quesadilla when police in Picayune stopped him and driver Olivia Neff for a traffic violation.
Officers reportedly saw Mitchell stuffing the handgun into a Taco Bell bag, prompting them to conduct a search of the vehicle, where they found the gun hidden in the Mexican meal.
Mitchell found himself slapped with other charges after police also recovered methamphetamine, liquid heroin, and drug paraphernalia during their search.
Mitchell was taken into custody and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, possession of weapon by a felon, and possession of paraphernalia.
This 1917 will never be changed.
I’ve got guns with warts on them. Nicks, a bit of rust, plating flaking off, signs of bad gunsmithing in the past or just plain honest wear — warts-all. And the funny thing is I won’t change a thing on any of them, ever. Let me explain.
My brother, Ren, died unexpectedly a few years ago. We grew up around guns and hunted and shot together. He was five years younger than me, but we were always close. I was the real gun-guy and I think Ren, while owning a modest collection of often eclectic bent, mostly enjoyed them because he knew how much I did.
He’d often call me excitedly about some weird or unusual find he had located, “It’s this strange thing, I think .32 caliber, but it might be 9mm, but the old lady said her husband died and he got it in the war, and she wanted to get rid of it so I bought it for $150. It’s got some kind of funny writing on it, maybe Russian? You think I did good?” And he usually didn’t do good. But he never lost his enthusiasm and I think he hoped one day I’d say, “My god Ren, do you realize what you’ve found!?” One day he came close.
After the excited call, he came over and plopped a bag on the table. “Found this and I’ll bet you’ll like it,” he said smiling. In the brown paper bag was a “bag-o-gun” as I call them. A 1917 S&W completely apart, down to every screw and pin. “Well, cool, huh?” he said. And at the time a 1917 was hard to get and it was cool, and I told him so. It was pretty rusty, but seemed all there. “Can you put it together,” he asked excitedly?
“Better yet,” I said, “I’ll help you to put it together.” An hour or two later we had a functioning 1917 and he was proud as anything knowing I liked the gun. “You know, it’s for you,” he said, holding it out. I smiled and closed my hand on his while he held it, “No, it’s for you, because I helped you put it together. One day I’ll show you how to refinish it and we’ll make it like new. Then it’ll be our gun.” He smiled at me and I knew he liked the idea. But we never got around to it as such things all too often go, and after he died I found the 1917 among some other guns he had. The gun lives in my safe now and I think you understand why it won’t ever be restored. It still has his hands on it.
I have others. The old Colt Single Action .44-40 is a genuine “stashed under the cabin floor” gun, found in an old cabin in Arizona. Grips don’t get that worn by sitting in a drawer somewhere and I only wish it could talk. I’ll bet you do too.
Genuine “Cabin” find Colt.
Suzi’s family 1911.
If you look closely at the old blued 1911 you’ll see where someone had taken a belt sander to the top-strap sometime in its past life. The reason the gun is special is because it belonged to Suzi’s grandfather who carried it on Navy ships during WWII, then was passed on to her step-father, who carried it in Vietnam on gunboats. At one time in its life, some armorer probably ground off some rust and got the gun going again. It stays the way it is.
The other 1911 was carried by an old gentleman during WWII in the South Pacific, and saw serious action in the island-hopping campaign. “Roy, it saved my life on more than one occasion and I have to tell you, that old .45 hardball round would punch right through a Japanese helmet. I know because I did it.” I got the original holster and two 20-round boxes of military ammo dated 1944 with it when he died. I’ll never change it.
A fighting gun from WWII.
The old nickel S&W .38 break-top is a family gun of ours. My dad bought it for $10 when I was about eight, and it was a thing of mystery and beauty the entire time I was growing up. I could “look at the gun” anytime I wanted to, I just had to ask. No end of bank-robbers and bad guys met their fate in my imagination, while I held that gun carefully on my lap.
I think it fostered my desire to be a cop later on. I can still feel the snappy recoil of those .38 S&W rounds in my eight-year old hands and I can’t pick the gun up today without doing some time traveling. It has my own eight-year old hands on it still, and it’s a eerie feeling to have my now 55-year old hands meet them. I almost feel like I’m shaking hands with that gun-crazy little boy all those years ago. I only wish I could have whispered back over the decades to him in a dream to assure him his passion would turn into a lifetime of enjoyment, opportunity and adventure.
The gun that made Roy become a cop.
Too many people have talked to these old guns, too many friends who are now gone have shot them with me, or simply enjoyed looking at them with me over a glass of good wine to change the patina now. It would be like taking the bark off an old oak tree — and that’s equally unthinkable for me now that I live with those fine, old, wise trees on our land.
Funny how it just depends on how you look at things. Sometimes, warts can be a good thing.
.jpg)
