Dethroner Tactics: What to Do Against a Man with a Gun?

For obvious reasons, there has been much armchair prognosticating about what a person should do if confronted by an attacker with a gun. Slate’s Explainer has one take:

Fight or flee, depending on the situation. Running away should be your first plan, when possible. At 20 feet from the gunman, you’re still within a deadly range, but at 40 feet, you’re a difficult shot. If he starts to shoot as you’re making your escape, try to run in a zigzag or another unpredictable pattern. To escape through an upper-floor window, find a drain pipe or a ledge that can slow your descent or let you slide down part of the way. You’ll likely hurt your ankles when you land, so be prepared to break the fall with a quick roll. Protect your body by rolling over one shoulder, diagonally across the back and onto the opposite hip.

Explainer goes on to explain the most economical ways to disarm the attacker, should fleeing not be an option.

While it’s impossible for anyone to accurately second-guess what they’d do in a similar situation, it’s interesting to consider. Without a clean line of sight, throwing something heavy would be impossible. (And we’re presuming that you are un-armed, yourself.) If running is not an option, it would seem passivity would remain the most hopeful option.

Fight or Flight at Virginia Tech [Slate]