Click the image above to watch my video which explores issues and tactics around facing someone armed with a knife as a police officer.
There are many recorded examples which demonstrate my points, however they can’t be shown on Youtube due to the violent content.
Update – Below is an extremely graphic example of how quickly a situation can escalate, and how an attacker armed with a knife can gain the upper hand at close range.
Officer Jonah Hernandez was fatally stabbed on February 11 while responding to a trespassing call on South Valley Drive. The assailant, 29-year-old Armando Silva, a homeless man with a history of violent crimes and mental illness, was confronted by Hernandez after being reported by property owners for trespassing. The property had issues with homeless individuals and found syringes on site. A bystander intervened and fatally shot Silva, ending the attack. Hernandez, a two-year veteran of the Las Cruces Police Department and originally from El Paso, is survived by his wife and two sons.
Full video with more details on the murder of officer Hernandez
Another poignant example of the lethality of knives:
An incident where multiple police were stabbed despite being armed with guns:
Armed guard in Jerusalem stabbed:
Russian prison guard is stabbed to death and has his gun taken from him:
Argentinian police shoot man in the leg before he closes the distance to kill the police officer with a knife:
Both police officer and suspect get shot in the leg and continue fighting:
Shooting to the legs can also be lethal – photos of the surgery after a police officer was shot in the leg:
Bodycam shows man stab a Dayton, USA, officer in the neck:
The Melbourne terrorist attack
Armed police approached by man and stabbed at Sydney train station: