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Newsletter for February 2005 Inside this issue: Where was Security in Megan Holden Abduction and Killing?
Where Was Security in Megan Holden Abduction and Killing? Tragically, it all ended in the worse way possible for 19-year-old Megan Holden, the employee of a Wal-Mart store in Tyler, Texas, who was abducted by a male stranger as she left work late at night on Jan. 19. Police found her body Jan. 22 and determined that she was shot and killed. You may have seen the sickening security camera footage of Megan's abduction. The frames show Megan walking toward her truck after her shift was over at 11:43 p.m. The video then shows a man running up behind her and pushing or hitting her. About 90 minutes before the abduction, security cameras show the man walking out of a Wal-Mart restroom and walking about the store. Video also shows that the man was lurking around the front entrance to the store "for a good period of time," authorities said. A 24-year-old suspect, Johnny Lee Williams, was driving Holden's pickup and was arrested in Willcox, Ariz., after he attempted to rob a convenience store. Some questions immediately come to mind:
If you've read this newsletter for long you no doubt remember numerous stories and references to parking lots and parking garages as danger zones. You might also remember that Wal-Mart is no stranger to abductions and rapes in their parking lots. Again, Wal-Mart -- what are you going to do to protect your employees? Mall Shooter Highlights Lessons The 24-year-old psycho who opened fire with an AK-47 inside the Ulster Town Mall in Kingston, N.Y. on Feb. 13 reminds us of what we need to do if we are suddenly surrounded by an eruption of gunfire.
If you are managing security for a facility, you must plan for a swift response to an active shooter scenario such as this. The typical active shooter scenario lasts between 4 and 17 minutes. Workplace Violence Predictable Statistics show that the number of workplace violence incidents is steadily increasing--in 2003, there were 46 incidents of worker-on-worker shootings, compared with fewer than 10 in 1994. Experts say that, in retrospect, the signs that lead up to an incident of workplace violence are numerous and apparent. A worker may start off by making negative comments or spreading gossip about a supervisor. These grow into comments that can be perceived as indirect threats about the supervisor to fellow workers, eventually escalating to direct threats to the supervisor. Co-workers frequently report the employee in question has exhibited increasingly violent behavior such as angry outbursts, destruction of company property and even fights. As you can imagine, the company is usually forced to take some sort of action. This includes disciplinary actions, suspensions, firings, or layoffs -- and these actions are frequently the very trigger mechanisms that precipitate criminal or murderous acts by the disaffected worker. Experts say that one of the most well-documented factors that promotes workplace violence is a chronic condescending environment by management that causes employees to feel disrespected by their supervisors or co-workers. If you find yourself in a business that feels like this, and you are witnessing behavior by a co-worker such as that described above, make sure you report it immediately to your human resources or security department. This is no joke. It's only after the shooting that people speak up and say that they "knew" something like this was going to happen. If your company does nothing about it, then stay aware of what's happening. If a violent co-worker is fired, suspended or disciplined, keep an eye out for him to return to the work place. He might have homicidal intentions. Protect yourself. Keep in mind the tips above if gunfire erupts. Speaking of Cover from Gunfire Contacts with operators returning from Iraq offer an interesting glimpse in what can be considered "cover". Way back in the old days (10 to 15 years ago) everyone in the academy was taught that vehicles provided suitable cover from small arms fire -- particularly the engine block and the wheels. However, these guys tell me that you want to stay away from cars in a gunfight. First of all, they say, the car that you are seeking cover behind might just be packed with explosives. Okay, that thought is probably only germane to the Iraq theater. But the second reason, and more to our needs, is that modern cars have changed dramatically over the past 10 years. Now built with more lightweight materials such as plastic and aluminum, they tend to splinter and fragment when hit by gunfire. Bullets pass through them more easily and secondary missiles come flying out as well -- not good. Newer cars are better than nothing when it's all you've got. But make sure you're not stuck in the past when it comes to relying on vehicles for cover. Is the Tactical Reload Old-School? Other reports by operators back from Iraq are challenging the concept of the "tactical reload". A tactical reload is when an operator, behind cover and sensing a lull in the gunfight, exchanges a fully-loaded magazine for the partially loaded magazine while retaining the ejected magazine. This differs from a stress reload in which the operator simply ejects the partially loaded magazine and inserts a new, fully-loaded magazine. Operators are reporting that, in real engagements, they are simply choosing to use a stress reload all the time. Will You Survive if the Fight Goes to the Ground? "Law enforcement officers are accustomed to compliance. Most officers can stand behind their badge without entering a confrontation or, if forced into a situation, they usually prevail because of multiple officer backup. Unfortunately, now more than ever, law enforcement officers are faced with greater threats of violence due to gangs, drugs, violent offenders and a predetermined decision to attack an arresting officer. Every year officers die because they become involved in situation for which they have no training, or don't know how to effectively overcome a threat. Basic police training teaches us all that the most important thing that we can do each day is to go home safely. As trainers we must look to our instruction to determine if we have provided enough quality training to prepare our officers for situations that they encounter. Will your officers survive if they are attacked and the fight goes to the ground?" Robert Hamic, Jr. "Most people think of a martial art as a collection of techniques and they tend to associate a given fighting style with its most distinctive techniques. This response is a natural enough consequence, seeing that most styles put an emphasis on technique as the basis of their art. But it is a rather unfortunate state of affairs. The truth is that techniques by itself is of little value. Technique is only useful as the degree to which it can be used by a practitioner under combat conditions. All the technique in the world is useless if it cannot be applied well." Renzo Gracie Swedish Company Heir Kidnapped And you thought kidnappings only happened in backwater countries dominated by tribal conflicts. Fabian Bengtsson,
32-year-old heir to Siba, a top Swedish home electronics company, is believed to
have been kidnapped while on his way to work in Gothenburg, Sweden, according to
Swedish police. His father is Siba CEO Bengt Bengtsson. Authorities
theorize that several people were involved in the kidnapping and that a ransom
request may be forthcoming. In August 2002, Autoliv CEO Lars Westerberg's
23-year-old son was abducted by kidnappers who requested a $1.6 million ransom
for his return. In that case, the son was safely released after the ransom was
paid, and authorities arrested the kidnappers, who received a 12-year prison
sentence. New Rape Escape Instructors Certified Four new instructors have been certified to teach the Rape Escape method to help women in their community defend themselves. The Feb. 5 & 6 certification course in Phoenix graduated: John Bayne “Sixty seven percent of the time potential victims [of a criminal attack] present/display a knife or a gun, the criminal does not attack. If he does attack and you are trained, your survival odds are greatly enhanced.” Hock Hockheim Go here if you want to access the newsletter archives.
Brad Parker, Defend University
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