Top Cop Gently Making Armed Self Defense Suggestion?
 

Shock may have prevented friends from intervening in stabbing: Chief Hanson


BY EVA FERGUSON, CALGARY HERALD APRIL 16, 2014


Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson speaks to members of the media about the murder of five people at a house party on Butler Crescent NW in Calgary on April 15, 2014.
Photograph by: Leah Hennel , Calgary Herald
A group of 20 young adults might have been too shocked or too fearful to intervene during a horrific stabbing that killed five people early Tuesday, said the city’s police chief.

“These kids were all just out of school, having fun at this party, and completely not expecting anything like this to happen,” said Chief Rick Hanson.

“Some might have wanted to intervene, but others might have been too shocked, and others might have just wanted to leave.

“It’s not always easy to disarm someone who has a weapon, when you don’t have one yourself.”

Hanson said police are continuing to interview and re-interview the 20 people that were at the party at the time of the stabbing in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

Hanson stressed that he understands the community is asking questions, as they should, about why and how something so horrific could happen.

“And I know at some point we will have those answers.”

Beyond interviewing witnesses, police are looking into the details of the whereabouts of the man accused in the killing in the hours leading up to the crime, including his time at work and his state of mind. The man accused of the first-degree murders attended the party that evening as an invited guest.

“We need to know everything that happened leading up to this to help us understand what actually happened.”

Hanson confirmed that the police know the accused arrived at the party some time after his shift Monday at a northwest grocery store.

“In fact he arrived at the party wearing his smock ....”

It’s alleged the accused also brought a box cutter to the home, though Hanson would not say whether a box cutter was used in the crime.

“He arrived and then just visited with people.”

It’s still not clear what led to the fatal incident that was called in as a stabbing in progress at about 1:20 a.m.

For more information on the accused’s state of mind, police are also combing through his belongings and his online activity.

“We are looking through all of this computers, all of his cellphones, his electronic devices, anything that is relevant. We will go anywhere we need to investigate and gather evidence.”

Hanson asked the families of those 20 kids that were at the party to seek out any psychological help they need through the police’s victim assistance unit or Alberta Health.

“I wish I had this pearl of wisdom to impart to parents that would guarantee that this would never happen again. But I don’t and I can’t.

“These were good kids, in a safe place, but then suddenly this happened.”


I'd like to have a beer with the Chief. Of all the cop interviews I've ever read this guy makes the most sense. At least he isn't clamouring for a knife ban like the dip****s in Saskatoon and Edmonton.

Sad times for sure. Sounds like the Chief may have actually came up with a speech from the heart good for him. Not like incompetent dip s*#%@ from Saskatoon / Edmonton that have no human concept of what may have been the problem. KNIFE BAN!!!:angry3: How does this CRAP! come out of there mouth!

Really it is the truth. We have been hobbled in this nation. Carrying a tazer or pepper spray may have helped. If one was getting stabbed he/she may have still died but when the pepper sprayed knife wielding person was screaming about his eyes it could have brought more attention to the situation. Maybe 1 or 2 instead of 5.

Either way, there are reasonable less lethal and lethal options out there that the liberal government of pet said we're too evil to have. A shame really.

All of this proves calling 911 does nothing to save a life. Kudos to our police but when seconds count they are minutes away.

it will get worse ! far worse!

a society that copes with bullying from a very early age by calling a friend, texting, going online to report a bullying incident is quickly turning into a nation of defenseless jellyfish,
basic pacifism from Birth will keep you safe !!,,, good luck with that !

simply put ? a healthy average 20 year old male Canadian civilian is about as helpless as a 2 year old when push comes to shove,,

He'll be getting his peepee slapped for that one at the next chief's meeting.

Anyone who thinks gun ownership in Canada is guaranteed better heed the calls for knife bans.

Defence? Not likely

Next time you are out with friends, sitting at a table or at home on the couch, take your mind to the dark side for a minute.

Look at those around you and imagine how fast you could stab and kill 5 of them...... I will bet that is what this young man did.

By the time the first guy realized he was stabbed, four more were.

I bet it took less than 7 seconds.

Most couldnt unholster or find their pepper spray in that time.

Remember, this generation is focused on visual. They watch rather than react, more so than past generations.

Hansen is a firearms owner and user in his private life.

Hillbilly, where do you get the idea for your title?

Armed self defense? Might as well say he was making the case for everyone to play rugby, or take MMA training. Or maybe that everyone carry fish-bonkers.

:snapoutofit:

Naw... I think he was just stating the obvious... it is hard to disarm someone and even more so if you are not armed ...preferably with a superior weapon.

I think he was just trying to help folks understand how it is that one guy with a knife could do so much damage in the face of ordinarily overwhelming odds.

Unless you have perfect aim when your stabbing it's usually gonna take more then one to kill someone. I'm guessing this guy went on a spree for at least a minute to get 5 people and what made him stop?

Seems like the first thing people reach for in a crisis situation these days is their cell. Same happened with those poor kids on the ferry in S. Korea.

“Some might have wanted to intervene, but others might have been too shocked, and others might have just wanted to leave.

“It’s not always easy to disarm someone who has a weapon, when you don’t have one yourself.”

Like I said in the title "gently" making the suggestion. I also ended the sentence with a question mark, implying I was asking for interpretations of what he said.

Thank you for answering with the exact thing I was looking for, your opinion. The snap out of it crack wasn't called for, but hey, sometimes comprehension isn't a persons strongest asset.

I may be Out There, but what about self defence courses introduced into the physical education classes at school. If something like this happen's, they will have knowledge and skill to react instead of freezing with fear. If everyone had a little hand to hand combat training, Bullies and nut job's might think twice before assaulting other's.

Perhaps, but I assume many were drunk at the party. How effective are your skills when under the influence?

An eye opening police training video.

http://youtu.be/9igSoJHEdUo

I'm assuming the bullies and nut jobs would have the same training because how do you know who's the nut jobs?

Lots of experience knife fighting and with a possibly deranged or criminal
mind, eh? Or did you just sit in your chair and think really hard about it and then decide "heck I know better than the experienced cop on this subject so I'll just rattle this off and look like a hero....."

Good vid ^ ... and good 'food' for thought!

Mac

Some people have training on how to deal with the injuries from a knife fight.... Not saying I expected anyone to jump up and look like a hero. Saying that it's very unlikely this guy killed 5 people in 30 seconds or less without very good training on where to hit. One stab wound shouldn't kill you unless it was perfectly placed.

Also is hunting stuff a cop? There was no disrespect meant, I just find it highly unlikely that he was able to kill 5 people in 30 seconds or less without perfect precision.

Intervention is not always something that can be taught. We all have a fight or flight response very few just go directly to fight. Its not as simple as some make out . The perp found a blade at scene how could the alleged twenty bystanders not do the same??

Not a chance...

With the knife described in the news feeds? I can tell you that a person with rudimentary knowledge of anatomy could easily stab that many people fatally in 30 seconds, with multiple stabs a piece. Let alone an intelligent, athletic and sober person like has also been described in the news feeds. Predetermination and focus are very dangerous things to add to the scenario.
Also we need to understand stabbing is not slashing, both have very different statistical outcomes as far as fatality.

From what I understand the accused used a kitchen knife and stabbed each victim multiple times. If that is true then yes its possible he could have done it quicker then 30 seconds as I said. But I think its unlikely that they all would have died as a result unless he had perfect precision on every victim.

Either way I think HuntinStuff is right in that by the time people understood what was going on most of the damage would have been done, especially if you consider that everyone was intoxicated. You maybe save one or two of the victims if someone had pepper spray or some form of self defence but we'd still be talking about a multiple homicide.

Training, knowledge, skill and experience would all help if you have the will to implement them. It means zip if you don't have the guts to stand up to the bad guy. If you are being bullied, it won't change till you stand up to the threat.

If reports are correct , 20/1 odds aren't good enough odds for our self entitled youth, i mean there special right . Twenty young adults not one it would seem would demand not on my watch. Imo stop blaming and start looking in what have we raised as young adults why would they sacrifice .the individual is important not the common good . This is the perfect example of the needs of the many being thrown to the wolves by the needs of the few . No team in I . 20/1 would not require much over a spoon each to over take an assailant. Sad comentary on todays young adults. But hay im alright jack .

If im not misstaken we just aggreed on something. :budo: your turn .

Sorry pal it was typo. Nothing to see here. Move along.:thinking-006:

This thread started as a speculation on "What if the chief meant that if they were armed..." and has now become a thread about the witnesses at the party being cowards, poorly raised, gutless, et al. (thoroughly vile and insensitive).

Sometime ago I started a thread on a fellow who got into a car crash in the states because the driver was doing 90kmh over the speed limit. It was closed because I was being insensitive.

This thread should have been shutdown immediately too,, not because it fit an agenda of hillbilly figuring guns solve everything (poorly timed) but because there is a very high likelihood that members on here know someone involved (i.e. a victim, the killer, a member at the party, a friend-of, a neighbour, a teacher-of, a workmate-of, etc).