I would like to assume that the average person values life. If not the value of life for others, at least some level of worth when it comes to their existence. We turn on the news and see countless examples of selfish people. Men, women and children that have taken the life of loved ones or strangers. We know that every situation is different. Some act in self-defense while others demonstrate pure evil. We think we know what we will do when faced with life or death situations. I think there is also the reality of understanding when the situation is truly life versus death. I was faced with a split second decision on whether or not I should take a life.
Feel It in the Air
It was just another day on the job. As an armed guard, I keep a steady eye on customers, employees and the client site to keep everyone safe. The store begins to get overcrowded so I have to enforce the ten customer max policy. A line forms outside of the store. The air is thick with humidity which frustrates patrons as they await entry into the air conditioned paradise. What else would you expect from almost summer like temperatures? People come, people go and the traffic appears to calm down.
Three customers come in and begin to browse around the store much like most people. And just like others, they leave the store empty handed. At least that appeared to be the case for the group of three until the first person triggered the door alarm. Now we know that the detection system is not perfect. But when it happens to go off upon exit, eyebrows will surely raise.
The manager calls out for me, stating that he believes the first of three walked out with an item. I walk out of the store and ask the person, addressing them by the description of their clothes, to get their attention. I proceed to get the attention of the person once more before one individual in the group turns around and brandishes a knife.
Decisions and Consequences
What goes through the mind of someone that brings a knife to a gun fight? Maybe this person is the equivalent to a “black belt” in the art of knife fighting. Perhaps this person is trained in the art of combat like Black Widow. The thing is, I did not have the luxury or the time to read minds or determine the mental status of the knife wielding combatant.
Then there is the strong delusion that whatever may have been stolen could be worth a fight. The young patron stands confident, at least this is how he appears. He takes a step toward me, knife in hand, and I remove my firearm from my holster. With my firearm pointing to the ground, I engage in verbal judo. The young patron appears to understand that taking a step forward to strike me would be a mistake so he joins his companions and begins to escape on foot down the street.
Aftermath
Fortunately, no one lost a life as a result of this encounter. I provide descriptions of the three individuals to law enforcement. From a distance, I overhear multiple law enforcement officers stating that they would have shot the combatant for retrieving the knife and stepping forward. I am sure the action taken at the time of the threat would vary from person to person.
I understood the threat but did not categorize the actions of the young man as justification to apply deadly force. Fear kills people and I needed to be calm with a sound mind in order to make a calculated decision based on the facts and not based on how I felt. I honestly was more concerned of where his life would end up with the type of decision I witnessed in this encounter. In that moment I began to pray for the individual as well as the people he was with.
It’s a tough job
I give the utmost respect to first responders, law enforcement officers and security personnel. There are times when they have a mere second to make a life changing decision. A decision routed by training, threat level and environment. Not every choice in these encounters ends up being the right one. At the end of the day, we should all have the same goal, to make it back home to our families.
The Value of Life
People can be the problem or the solution. There are those that only want to destroy. Their weapons of choice are often fear, oppression and death. Because of the lack of value for either their life or your life, they have no issue with the consequences of their violence.
On the other hand, we need to understand how to respond to someone that meets the criteria above. The actions you take must be based on the facts and not feelings. What I mean is, we need to understand that lethal force should be the last option when approached with a threat but may be the only option when our life depends on it. There is a difference.